Everything Looks Better Covered in Blood
by TrustMeI'mTheDoctor
Summary: What if you had an affair with someone and then fell in love with their best friend? That's exactly what happened to Angelina. Except that she fell in love with the best friend during a zombie apocalypse. R&R!
1. The History

_You are the hole in my head_

_You are the space in my bed_

_You are the silence in between_

_What I thought and what I said_

_ -Florence and the Machine, No Light, No light_

Chapter One:

Angelina was lying on her side stroking the warm spot on the bed that her lover had just left. She knew he was in the kitchen because she could hear pots and pans clanking and making a ruckus.

About ten minutes later the bedroom door opened and the smell of bacon filled the room and two warm hands were placed on her shoulders. She felt the covers shift as somebody crawled into bed with her. She rolled over and smiled at her lovers face; he hadn't shaved yet and stubble was covering his face.

He ran his hand down the curve of her side, feeling her soft, bronzed skin that seemed to glow. They didn't speak, neither one of them felt the need to break the silence. The way they were looking at each other said everything they were thinking.

"What were you making?" She asked softly, trying not to ruin the moment.

He brushed a dark brown strand of hair out of her face, "Eggs, bacon, and pancakes."

"Ooo, breakfast for lunch? My favorite!" She placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him, his arm went around her naked waist and pulled her closer.

"I wish we could stay here all day," He mumbled.

"I know how you feel," She frowned, "What time is it?"

"Round about one,"

"Rick, you're going to be late!" She sat bolt up right in the bed and wrapped the sheet around her body. Then got up and walked over to the bathroom door, grabbed her robe, dropped the sheet, and put her robe on. All the while Rick was watching her in amusement.

"You're goanna be late for work," She walked back over to the bed and looked down at him, "Rick, seriously, I don't want you getting in trouble, or worse, getting caught."

Rick stood up, "If we were caught we could be together."

"Rick," Angelina dropped her head and then glanced up, her eyes looking sad, "Please don't."

"Fine. But I made you breakfast and you're going to eat it." Rick pulled her into a hug and she wrapped her arms around his muscular ones then laid her head on his chest.

The hug ended soon after it began, "Go get dressed," Said Angelina, then added, "Please?"

Rick chuckled, "Fine."

After Rick finished getting dressed he went back into the kitchen and kissed Angelina goodbye.

"Be careful," She said and kissed his cheek.

Rick nodded, "Always am." He turned to head out the door but stopped and turned around, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure," Angelina smiled.

Rick hesitated, "I love you, Angelina."

Angelina's heart skipped a beat, "Rick, I—"

"I don't care if you don't love me back, I just wanted to let you know." Rick interrupted.

Angelina's eyes welled up, "It's just, you're married and you have a kid! And you're married!" She placed a hand over her mouth and sat down at the kitchen table. "Rick I've never felt about anybody the way I feel about you," She sighed, "But you're married Rick, I feel bad enough already but…I don't know, I just can't."

Rick's posture and tone said that he wasn't hurt by her answer, but his eyes told otherwise. He walked over to her seat and got down on his knees,

"Angel, don't worry. Okay, everything's going to be fine…everything's going to be alright."

Angelina signed in at the hospital four hours after Rick had left her apartment. She was working from five p.m. to one a.m. Lately the hospital had been receiving some unusual cases, most of the weird cases included cannibalistic attacks where people were attacked and bit by sickly looking people.

Around five thirty the sun was shining high in the Atlanta sky and everything was calm. Angelina remembered the day so clearly: She remembered writing some notes down about another strange case, while listening to some music. The hallways were quiet, normal noise was from doctors and nurses talking about patients or patients talking to doctors. Suddenly her pager began to go off frantically. She looked down at it read emergency in big bold letters. She raced out of her office and down the hall.

The double doors flung open and they rushed a person in on a bed, a bloody bandage covering their shoulder. She raced up to the patient but froze in horror when she saw who it was: Rick. But she had to stay strong, nobody could know about her or Rick, she couldn't show any connection with him other than work. She shook off her emotions that were now flooding her brain and focused on Rick.

There was so much blood, people were talking and shouting around her, she couldn't focus, and then everything went black.

She couldn't remember what happened after they went into the emergency room and began operating. Whenever she tried to remember it was just a big, black hole in her memory.

Rick was in the hospital for two weeks, everyday Lori and Carl would come in and visit him. Angelina would tell them how he was doing then she would leave. After his wife and son left his best friend would come to visit. His name was Shane.

She remembered meeting him for the first time very vividly. He was handsome, funny, kind, and charming. He had dark brown hair and brown, almost black, eyes that looked innocent like a child. His arms were muscular and he was very tall. He had sat in the corner of the room and had brought Rick flowers. He also blamed himself for Rick's injury; said that he distracted Rick and Rick was shot because of it. Angelina admitted to herself that she wanted to have somebody to blame for her lover's injury, but she couldn't blame Shane.

Two weeks later the end began. She had been at the hospital checking on Rick when the chaos started; there was gunfire and blood was everywhere. She was just waiting there with Rick…waiting to die. Shane came to try to get Rick. He tried to wake him up, then to move the bed, but then he felt Rick's pulse and he was gone. Angelina checked to make sure he was correct—and he was. Angelina had to do everything to keep from breaking down and sobbing. To keep from just staying there staring at Rick's lifeless body.

But she was stronger than that, she was a fighter, Rick would have wanted her to fight. Shane got her out of the hospital; they were almost gunned down by military but they were quick to disappear after being spotted. The undead were trying to break their way through barricaded doors; their arms were sticking through the cracks, trying to snag anything close enough.

After they finally made it out of the hospital, they picked up Lori and Carl and drove. Drove out of town. There was a supposed safe haven in the city but on the way there the traffic was so bad they never made it. Plus, the city was being bombed and the undead were everywhere. Instead they formed a group of survivors and made a camp in the mountains away from everything.

Angelina soon relaxed and tried her best to put her past behind her; but one thing was still killing her inside. The last thing Rick said to her was, "Everything is going to be all right." She couldn't help but think he was very, very wrong. Or maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

28 Days Later…

It was dark and humid on the mountain; a fog was rolling in and making things hard to see. There was no breeze and it was pitch black. The city was not lit up like it normally would be, giving off a nice glow. No, it was pitch black and silent. But if you listened closely you could hear the faint sound of thousands of moans. That was the sound that haunted everybody's dreams.

Everybody had just finished eating dinner and now they were sitting around the fire trying to stay warm. Carl's head was resting on his mothers shoulder and Angelina was wrapped in a Shane's arms. Since they had formed a group with about twenty other people, Shane and Angelina had grown close—very close.

Shane was much different than Rick and Angelina liked that. Shane was very territorial and hard headed; but he was also gentle and caring. He was sweet and truly cared about Angelina. Not that Rick didn't, Rick had loved her. Unlike Rick, Shane was hot tempered; he and Angelina would argue all the time. About the dumbest things, one night they got into it because Angelina had walked off into the woods to collect food and Shane had flipped out. When she got back Shane looked as if he could kill somebody. He had told her she couldn't just walk off without telling him; she didn't like that.

Then another day Shane was going to go down to the highway to look for survivors by himself. She immediately went into hysterics and began telling him that if he went down there alone they were over. That she wouldn't risk loosing him; that had set him off. But when he came back they disappeared into their tent and weren't seen until the next morning.

But in the end Shane and Angelina always wound up in each other's arms somehow or another. After the screaming ceased and the realization of the stupidity of their argument came to their realization—they always ended up in bed together. Angelina also liked the fact that she could be open about her relationship with Shane and she could show how much she cared for him.

Tonight was the night that people said their goodbyes, in the morning five camp members would be gone. Five camp members were going into the city to collect supplies and scavenge anything that could be found. Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog, Morales, and Merle were the ones brave enough to volunteer. It was a shocker that Merle volunteered because Merle was extremely selfish and didn't do much to help out. Daryl had possibly convinced him to go; Daryl was his brother who was more civilized than Merle. Then again, that wasn't saying much.

"I'm goanna go on to bed, you coming?" Angelina asked Shane, she kissed his cheek before standing up and stretching.

"No I'm goanna take watch for a few hours for Dale." Replied Shane, "Don't wait up."

Angelina nodded, "Night everybody." She waved goodnight to the group and headed back to her tent.

For a summer night it was cold and Angelina, although wearing one of Shane's sweatshirts, found herself hugging her arms close to her body. As she walked sticks broke under her shoes and the trees blew. The tents were in a circle in a nook near the woods. To get to it, you had to walk a little ways until there was a tiny slope, and then you had to walk down the slope that led you into the huddle of tents. Angelina and Shane's tent was at the end of the huddle next to Lori and Carl's.

Arriving at her tent, Angelina unzipped the door and stepped inside. The tent was always warmer and she quickly crawled into her makeshift bed consisting of a cot a large sleeping bag and two pillows, one for her and one for Shane. The sleeping bag was large enough for them to share it and since they were 'camping' they liked the extra body heat and the comfort of feeling each other and knowing they were safe.

Angelina pulled the sleeping bag up around her face and snuggled into it. Although it wasn't like the warmth of another person, it was close enough. She didn't know when she fell asleep but she remembered being woken up by the sound of footsteps and the clanging of the zippers on the tent door opening.

She knew it was Shane. She could hear Shane kicking off his shoes and undoing his belt, and then she felt the cot bounce as he sat down, but didn't lie down. She glanced over her shoulder through tired eyes and saw him sitting on the edge of the cot with his head in his hands. She rolled completely over and placed a hand gently on his back. He jumped and she felt his muscles tense up, but when he turned around and looked at her she saw him relax.

"You okay?" She asked him, rubbing his forearm soothingly.

Shane pulled back the covers and got in the sleeping bag with her, "Yeah, just tired."

She knew he was lying but left it alone, something had frightened him. Whenever he was frightened his eyes became darker. They looked completely black and she could barely see the white in his eyes.

"Get some sleep," Her hand drifted off his arm and she rolled back over and tried to pull the cover farther over her body. Shane pulled her closer to him, he was radiating warmth. She relaxed into his body and she felt him relax as well.

"I'm glad you're not going tomorrow," He whispered into her ear, "I know you wanted to, but it's to dangerous."

Angelina kissed his hand, "Same here." And with that final word they both drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

*Flashback*

The bell on the door jingled as Angelina opened it and stepped inside the Sheriffs Department. A cool burst of air hit her like a tidal wave and she sighed,

"You guys are lucky the air conditioning works so well in here." She chuckled at the lady at the front desk known as Lisa. Lisa was middle aged and had curly red hair, she had a friendly smile but behind it you could see a 'do not mess with me' sign.

"Oh," Lisa chuckled, "It's always like this in here. During the winter its warmer outside."

"Oh, well I've got the tests back from that blood that you guys wanted—"

"Brilliant! Rick will want to see those, he was the one who thought we should send them over to you."

"Rick, all right. Well where can I find this Rick?" Asked Angelina. She was clutching a black briefcase in her right hand where the papers were safely stored.

"Down the hall, two doors to your left Hun," Lisa pointed to the doorway to the hall with her pen and then went back to typing furiously on her computer.

Angelina began her journey down the hall and two doors to the left. She read the nameplates next to the doors and finally she found Rick Grimes and since that was the only Rick she had seen so far she figured it was him. She knocked on the door three times and then she heard a, "Come in."

She opened the door and saw a handsome looking man with papers scattered all over his desk. He had blue eyes, a clean shave, and brown hair. He looked tired and stressed out.

As soon as he saw it was a young, beautiful woman at the door he immediately stood up and hurried to clear the papers off his desk. After he had finished making a fool of himself he said,

"Sorry about the mess, please sit down."

Angelina swayed over to the chair and took a seat, "I have the test results back on that blood. Lisa told me to bring them to you?"

"Yes, may I see them?"

Angelina opened the latch on her briefcase and pulled out the folder of papers, then handed them to Rick.

He opened the file and began to read them, "So it's definitely a match?"

She nodded, "Definitely."

"Hmm great. What did you say your name was again?"

"I didn't, but it's Angelina," She stuck her hand out across the desk, "Pleasure to meet you." She smiled and her green eyes sparkled.

He shook her hand and smiled as well. This, although at the time it was unknown to them, was the first of many times that they would look at each other that way.

They released each other's hands and she sat back down.

He set the papers down on the table, "How long have you worked at the hospital?"

"About six years,"

"And you just do autopsy's?"

She chuckled, "No, I normally work in the ER, but I started out doing autopsy's. That's why I did these." She motioned to the papers.

"It must have been fun being around dead bodies all day," He chuckled.

She smiled, "Well I always looked on the bright side, at least they aren't coughing on me or trying to give me a dangerous disease like other patients are, or bleeding to death."

This time they both chuckled. There was a silence and then Angelina said,

"Well I better get back to the office." She stood up and straightened out her skirt. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Grimes."

"Rick, call me Rick." He stood up as well and walked her to his office door.

She tried to conceal a smile, "It was nice to meet you Rick."

"You to Angelina,"

As she left his office he watched her walk off down the hall but his best friend Shane interrupted his stare.

"Whoa, who is that fine woman that just came out of you office looking happy?" Shane asked while he placed a hand on Rick's shoulder. "You don't see many like that these days. So who is she?"

"She's from the hospital, brought the blood results back."

"She works in a hospital?" Said Shane, shocked, "No offense but someone that pretty is never smart." He looked down the hall where she had been walking, "You definitely don't find one's like that these days."

Rick chuckled at his friend, "No you don't."

"That one's mine," Shane said flatly.

Rick glanced at his friend, "What do you mean?"

"You got Lori, that beauty is mine. I call dibs."

"You can't call—you don't even know her!"

"If I get to know her, I call dibs."

Rick laughed and went back into his office, shutting the door in Shane's face.

*End flashback*

"Bye Andrea, you be careful," Angelina said the next morning as Andrea and she hugged goodbye.

"You too Glenn, T-Dog, Morales." She nodded at the three men and stepped backwards, away from the group of people saying goodbye. Merle was standing against the truck with a devilish grin on his face.

"What no goodbye for me?" He asked in his country hick tone, "How about a hug at least?"

"Goodbye Merle," Angelina said begrudgingly.

"I think a kiss would do," He smiled evilly and began walking towards her.

Shane stepped in between the two, "Shouldn't you be getting ready to leave, Merle?" It wasn't as much of a question as a command.

"I just wanted a goodbye kiss from this little lady here," He pointed with his head at Angelina.

Shane's jaw tightened, "I don't think she wants to give you one, so go get in the truck. Wouldn't want them to leave without you now would we?"

Merle's jaw twitched and he spat on the ground and then rubbed it into the dirt with his boot, "Alright," He smiled revealing his hideous teeth. "We'll see about that kiss when I come back." He turned on his heel and walked back over to the truck.

"He ever bothers you again, tell me and I'll take care of it." Shane glared at Merle as he sat in the front of the truck, his face visible in the side view mirror.

"I don't think he will," Sighed Angelina, "Do you think it's safe for them to go into the city?"

"No, but we need the supplies and who knows, maybe they'll find more survivors."

"That's not always a good thing. Not everybody can be trusted." Angelina said her face looking as if she were trying to remember something.

Shane pulled her into a hug, "Trust me, I know."

**Review please! And Subscribe! **


	2. Close Encounters

_The higher you climb on loves ladder; the harder you fall-Unknown _

Chapter Two:

With Queen's _Killer Queen _being played on the stereo Angelina wondered around her apartment in a large flannel shirt and a pair of black underwear. She was partly dancing to the music and partly wandering around aimlessly. It was around eight o'clock on a Friday night and while most of her friends were out enjoying the free night, Angelina decided it would be better to stay at home and relax.

Her week had been filled with drama, there were strange medical cases with injuries and illnesses Angelina had never seen. Patients who had been bit or scratched were now dying from infections. Even if the wound was clean. Angelina didn't know what was going on. But medical maladies were not the only dramatic thing in her week.

Rick Grimes, father, husband, and officer, had asked for her help on a case he was working on. It had something to do with an accident and he needed her to look at some blood samples. After a few weeks the case was closed, but by that point Rick and Angelina had become crazy about each other. Rick made the first move: walking Angelina up to her apartment after they finished work one night. That night he didn't leave until the morning. Angelina knew it was wrong to sleep with a married man, but Rick was different. He was kind to her, cared about her, and he understood that she didn't want to get involved with a married man. But that she couldn't help herself. To them their affair wasn't just sex it was actual feelings being thrown around under the covers. She cared for Rick dearly and he her.

Angelina had wondered into the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. She hurried to the door quietly and looked through the peephole: it was Rick. She smiled and undid the lock on the door and then opened it. Rick was wearing jeans and a white tee shirt. It was odd for him to be here at this time of night, especially on this day of the week.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" Asked Angelina, "Here come in." She added and pulled him inside.

"Lori and Carl are going to her mothers house for the weekend. Figured I should make the most of the time."

Angelina smiled, "I'm glad you came. You want something to drink?"

Rick stepped closer to her, "No thanks." He took another step closer to her and now he was right in front of her, her chest brushing against his. He placed a hand on her cheek; she placed her hand over his as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"You smell good," He mumbled with his lips still on her forehead.

"I just took a shower." She closed her eyes and leaned into him. His lips lingered on her forehead and then he moved down to her lips. Pulling her into a soft but passionate kiss; he massaged her lower lip with his tongue and then she parted them and his tongue slipped through. She moaned and ran her hands through his hair. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He tried to head to the bedroom but he was so distracted by the beautiful woman in his arms that he just bumped into the nearest wall. Which resulted in laughs.

Angelina pulled at Rick's shirt and he lifted it over his head, she slowly peeled it off the rest of the way. Their kissed became slower and more meaningful. Although they were heated and passionate the kisses were long and soft. Rick was obviously delicate with women. Angelina liked that. He didn't slam her into a wall or rush her. He took his sweet time.

Rick pulled away and looked her in the eye. He brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes and then said,

"We should go to the bedroom."

Angelina nodded and he carried her to the bedroom. Once in the bedroom Rick carefully laid her down and leaned over her. She brought her hands up and slowly began unbuttoning her shirt. With every button opened Rick saw more and more of her chest. Finally Rick took over and finished unbuttoning it. He discarded her shirt somewhere in the room and then went back to kissing her. Angelina undid his belt and fly and helped him out of his pants. Rick kicked them off and his hands slid over her breasts and down her stomach until they were gripping the hem of her underwear; he then began pulling them down. She lifted her legs up and bent them at the knee so it would be easier to get them off. Once completely off Rick threw them over where her shirt was.

Angelina pulled Rick's boxers off and then pulled him closer to her, they were flush against each other. Angelina could feel Rick's erection pressing against her hot center. Rick pulled her up and she straddled his lap; Rick's hands traveled up her back and he unclipped her bra, exposing her luscious breasts. Rick laid her back down and she wrapped her legs around his waist, craving his closeness. Their embrace was becoming fiercer and rougher. Rick massaged her lips with his tongue and when she parted them his tongue found its way into her mouth. Causing her to moan.

Rick then slowly entered her; her head flew back as she gasped in pleasure. With her head flown back her neck was exposed and Rick took this time to kiss her neck. He pushed into her again and she ran her hands through his hair and gripped it. Rick then quickly pushed in again and again. Causing Angelina to cry out in pure ecstasy.

Rick had quit an impressive manhood, it was so big and so hard it actually kind of hurt. But Angelina liked it. Rick was a very good lover, he started out slow and gentle but as time progressed so did his roughness. He was still careful not to hurt her but he was more forceful with his thrusts.

Rick shoved into her repeatedly and Angelina felt like putty in his hands. She decided that no matter how good it felt she wasn't going to be helpless in his arms. When he pulled out she quickly flipped him over and straddled his lap, then she slowly sank onto him. Then quicker and quicker until she wasn't even paying attention to how fast she was going. She was going down on him hard. Still riding him she leaned foreword and passionately kissed him, his hands went through her hair and held her close to him. Their moans were getting so loud and they both knew they were on the point of coming.

"Rick I'm goanna come," She moaned as she sunk onto him again. Rick pinned her back down on the bed and thrust into her hard once more.

"Oh Rick!" She cried as she reached her breaking point. Rick was coming to; their cries of going over the edge were probably heard a mile a way.

After they came down from their high, Rick collapsed on top of her, barely holding himself up on his elbows. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stroked his hair.

"That was amazing," He breathed into her ear. He rolled off of her into the empty spot on the bed. He pulled her closer and she laid her head on his chest, listening to his quickened heartbeat. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kept her close to him.

"It was wasn't it?" She said and kissed his chest, "We should do that more often."

Rick chuckled, "I wish."

Angelina traced circles on Rick's chest, "I don't know what to say now." She smiled as Rick took her hand in his, stroking it with his thumb.

"Well I do, Angelina you are one spectacular woman." Angelina blushed, "I don't know how you handle being you."

"What do you mean?" Asked Angelina, happy about his comment but wasn't quite sure what he meant by the second half.

Rick sighed, "You're a doctor who works all the time, yet you still have time to volunteer, be with friends…be with me," He trailed off.

Angelina sighed, "Rick, I don't know what to do." She sat up and pulled the covers over her chest. Rick sat up quickly behind her and placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Do about what?"

"This! Us! God, I like you so much Rick, but you're married and you have a kid!" She turned to him and cupped his cheek, "I don't want to let you go, but I just feel so dirty."

Rick held her hand, "I'm sorry I got you into all of this."

She shook her head, "It's not your fault you can't help the way you feel."

Rick laughed, "I'm glad you understand that because that's how I feel. I care about you Angel. You're perfect…maybe, maybe one day we can be together. In the open and let everybody know."

"I don't think it's ever going to happen," Angelina closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"We should get some sleep," Suggested Rick, looking downcast and Angelina nodded.

"Night,"

"Good night."

**End Flashback **

The majority of the camp was in a panic, the campers who had ventured into the city had been gone for hours and it was just suppose to be a quick in and out. Amy was in hysterics over her sister being gone. Amy always assumed the worse.

Angelina was hanging up clothes with Lori when the police radio out of Shane's car started buzzing and a faint voice came through.

"Hello? Can anybody hear me?" There was a pause and static was the only thing heard, "I'm heading into the city, if you can hear me, please respond."

"What is he doing going into the city?" Asked Lori, "He's going to get himself killed."

"People don't know what they're getting themselves into," Said Angelina, shaking her head, "We have to let people know."

"What about a sign?" Said Amy, "That would let people know."

"I can go put one up, just give me a vehicle." Said Angelina somewhat frustrated.

Shane shook his head, "No, it's to dangerous."

"People need to know Shane." Protested Lori.

"I am not risking loosing any more people," Replied Shane.

Amy scoffed, "So now the people in the city are dead?" She said loudly, "My sister is not dead! We have to go get her."

"I never said they were dead and we can't send any more people into the city!" Said Shane through gritted teeth.

"That is my sister, you son of a bitch!" Amy said in a low voice, and then stormed off towards her tent. Lori gave Shane a look and took off after Amy. Shane dropped his head and rubbed his hair. Angelina rubbed his arm,

"You're right, we can't risk more people. I'm sure they're fine, they probably just got held up."

"Yeah, like that is goanna reassure anybody." Mumbled Shane.

After a few hours of more torturous wondering and the worst scenarios being played out in everybody's head nothing got any better. The sun began to set and that made everybody's feelings even worse.

Angelina and Lori sat by the RV on a few logs while Lori cut Carl's hair. Angelina actually liked Lori, which was unusual because she was sleeping with her husband before the world went to hell. But Lori was kind and caring, she really loved Carl.

"It's nice out today isn't it?" Lori said while she chopped away at Carl's hair.

"It's so hot," Moaned Carl, "Why can't it be like spring weather?"

"Can't have everything now can we?" Lori smiled, "Angie would you hand me a bottle of water, please?"

"Sure," Angelina grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and handed it to Lori, who then handed it to Carl. "Drink and you'll be cooler."

Carl happily cracked open the bottle and drank it, sighing in delight when he finished with his gulp.

"I wish we had air conditioning," Sighed Carl,

"I think everybody does Carl," chuckled Angelina. Carl was so much like his father, he was kind and thoughtful, and he was also quite the charmer.

"I'm goanna go check on Shane." Said Angelina as she stood up and wondered over to where Shane was keeping a vigil on the road leading up to their camp.

She slipped her hand in with his and he looked down at her. He had a stern look in his eye and all of his muscles were tense.

"Hey, what's the matter?" She asked as she looked out on the road.

"Just worried they won't come back…that supplies isn't worth their lives."

"I'm sure their fine," Angelina looked at the ground, "You should really relax, Shane. You're always so tense."

Shane scoffed, "I have to be, with walkers trying to eat us and all."

"Yeah, and all." She mumbled, "They'll—"

The sound of a car alarm interrupted her mid sentence and everybody in the camp dropped what he or she was doing to see the source of the noise. It was a red mustang with black racer stripes speeding up the hill. It pulled to a stop next to the RV and a distressed Glenn got out.

"Turn that damn thing off!" Shouted Shane running over to the car, "You're going to attract every walker in the city!"

"I don't know how!" Shouted Glenn over the noise.

Glenn popped the hood so Dale and Jim could look at it. Jim yanked at something and the alarm went off.

"What were you thinking driving that up here?" Dale nearly yelled at Glenn.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Replied Glenn, he opened his mouth to say something else but Amy bombarded him with questions.

"Where's Andrea? Is she okay? Is she dead?" She yelled at him frantically,

Glenn put his hands out to keep the crazy girl away from him, "Yes, yes she is fine!"

"Are you sure?" She asked, still alarmed.

"Yes! They should be back any minute, except for one person…" he trailed off.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Shane, "Who is missing?"

"Merle, he went crazy and tried to kill T-Dog. Some guy cuffed him to a pole and he is still there."

Dale sighed, "Daryl isn't going to be happy about this."

"Can't say it's much of a loss," Mumbled Shane to himself and Jim nodded in agreement behind Dale.

"Wait, you said some guy. Who was it? Is he with you?" Asked Angelina.

"He came back with us, you can ask him for yourself."

Right as Glenn said that a truck pulled up and Morales, T-Dog, Andrea, and Jacqui got out. They all greeted their families and Angelina saw Lori hug Carl who looked as if he wanted to cry.

Every time people go into the city Carl hopes that they'll find his dad and bring him back. They never had.

"So who is this person who cuffed Merle to a pole?" Angelina asked again, this time to Morales.

"Hey Tank Boy! People wanna meet you!" Morales shouted towards the truck.

The passenger door opened and a tall man stepped out with dark brown hair and stubble on his cheeks. He stood there at first until he saw Carl and Carl saw him. Carl broke free from his mother's grip and ran towards the man. The man hugged Carl so hard they fell to the ground and they were both crying. Lori was the next person to run over and take the man into her arms. Carl was squished in the middle of a family reunion.

The man who they had found in the city was Rick Grimes.

**Oh-my-gosh! I wonder what's going to happen? Oh wait, I already know! Mwahaha! Review please! :) **


	3. Miracles

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or any of the song lyrics I use. **

It's only love, it's only pain, it's only fear that runs through my veins—Civil Twilight, Human

Chapter Three:

Expectations:

The passenger door of the truck opened and a man stepped onto the ground, causing a puff of dirt to swell around his feet. The truck door blocked his face and everybody waited eagerly to see what he looked like. He shut the door and his face came into view.

At first Angelina saw it in a blur, just another man. But as her vision focused she made out the face of Rick Grimes. Tears of joy welled in her eyes and a smiled spread across her face. Rick spotted her and he breathed a smile, he began walking towards her with a determined look on his face.

They met halfway to each other and Rick cocooned her in his arms. He was holding her so tightly they fell to the ground. Angelina didn't mind because she was fairly certain her legs weren't working properly. Rick's hands went through her hair as he held her tighter. The fellow campers watched the lovers reunite with smiles on their faces.

Rick brushed hair out of Angelina's face, which was covered in tears of happiness. She could see tears in the corner of Rick's eyes as well. He held her face in his hands and kissed her all over.

"Oh god, I thought I would never find you!" He said as he continued to hold her face.

Angelina choked back more tears and smiled at him, "I thought you were dead."

He shook his head, "I'll never leave again, I swear."

"I'm so sorry. I love you so much!"

"I love you too." With that Rick kissed her again and then hugged her. They were the only people on the planet at that moment.

Reality:

The passenger door opened and a tall man stepped out with dark brown hair and stubble on his cheeks. He stood there at first until he saw Carl and Carl saw him. Carl broke free from his mother's grip and ran towards the man. The man hugged Carl so hard they fell to the ground and they were both crying. Lori was the next person to run over and take the man into her arms. Carl was squished in the middle of a family reunion.

Lori had a look of shock in her eyes as she held onto Rick. She was so shocked she wasn't even crying. Carl on the other hand was so over come with emotion it looked like her was having trouble breathing.

Angelina looked up at Shane, who was also in shock. His best friend had just returned from the dead and he was over joyed. Angelina couldn't help feeling bad; she had presumed Rick dead and left him there. That was going to stick with her for the rest of her life.

Rick stood up and looked around at the campers who were staring at him and his family. He hadn't seen Angelina yet and she wondered if he would even want to see her or how they were going to act around each other. Rick looked at Shane and Shane stumbled towards him. Then they hugged. As they were hugging Rick looked over Shane's shoulder and spotted Angelina staring at him with crystalized eyes. Water was just begging to pore out of them. Rick wanted nothing more than to run over to her and hug her. But he couldn't, he couldn't let Lori know they were having an affair.

Rick's eyes widened at the sight of her and she shook her head to let him know not to come over to her. Rick and Shane detached from their hug and Rick choked out a thank you to Shane.

"I hate to break up this wonderful moment here," Said Morales, "But what are we going to do about Merle? Daryl's goanna be back later and he is not going to be happy."

"We could lie," Suggested Amy,

"No I don't think he would buy it." Said Andrea, "We should just tell him the truth."

Rick was staring down at the ground in deep thought. The tears in his eyes had gone away and he looked as if nothing significant in his life had happened.

"It's not right to lie, Andrea's right." Said Rick.

"So what are we goanna tell him?" Asked Angelina, the first words she had said in Rick's presence. He turned and looked at her but she didn't see.

"Tell who what?" Asked a deep country voice from behind them.

Everybody turned around to see Daryl holding a crossbow in one hand and a rope with five squirrels attached to it slung over his shoulder.

Nobody answered him.

"Tell who what?" He asked again, this time more sternly.

Nobody answered and Angelina spoke,

"Merle didn't come back."

"What?"

Daryl rounded on Angelina and Shane stepped in between them. Angelina stepped out to Shane's side,

"Merle didn't come back."

"Why the hell not?" He shouted.

"He was a threat to us all and was going to get us killed," Explained Rick, watching Daryl closely.

"So you let him get eaten by walkers?"

"No, I cuffed him to a pipe. We put a bar on the door so walkers couldn't get to him."

"You—Is that suppose to make me feel better?" He shouted, his anger rising, "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"Rick,"

Daryl raised his crossbow at Rick's head and everybody gasped, Carl let out a cry and his mother grabbed him to keep him from running to his father.

"Put it down Daryl," Said T-Dog, "It's not his fault he is still in the city, its mine. I dropped the keys."

"So you pick them up!" Shouted Daryl, turning his crossbow on T-Dog.

"Down a drain."

Daryl swallowed what looked like a scream and placed his finger on the trigger on the crossbow.

Shane acted quickly and tackled Daryl to the ground; there was a scream and Angelina looked at the source. Amy was standing near the RV and there was an arrow about two inches away from her stomach. There was a tussle and Shane hit Daryl a few times and then got him into a headlock. Daryl grunted and tried to break free of Shane's hold but it was no use, Shane was too strong.

"Let go of me!" Shouted Daryl and thrashed around.

"No I don't think that's such a good idea." Shane grunted as he used all of his strength to hold Daryl.

Daryl shook himself around a bit more and then gave up.

"You done?" Asked Shane.

Daryl jerked and Shane took it as a yes. Shane released him but Daryl just went at Shane again, nocking him to the ground. He grabbed his crossbow and aimed it at Shane's head. There was a click and Daryl turned his head around, Rick had a gun aimed directly at Daryl's head.

Daryl backed off of Shane and stood up straight. Rick didn't lower his gun.

"We're going to go get him." Said Rick, "I'll go get him."

"What?" Shouted Lori and Carl, "Merle isn't worth it Rick."

"Hey that's my brother!" Daryl shouted at them.

"It's true though!" Angelina said, "He never did anything to help out, he just harassed people and threatened them!"

Daryl rounded on her but before he could say anything Shane spoke,

"Rick, it's not worth risking your life on that douchebag,"

"Hey, watch your choice of words!" Daryl grunted angrily.

"I did, I meant to say douchebag!" Replied Shane. Daryl glared at him but didn't respond.

Angelina didn't know what to say, she couldn't let Rick and everybody else go back into the city.

"Plus, there is a bag of guns in the city that I dropped." Rick added. Everybody stopped whispering to each other and stared at Rick.

"How many guns?" Asked Shane.

"All of the ones I found at the Sheriff's office."

Shane sighed, "Damn it," He whispered under his breath, "It's still not worth it."

"We need those guns, Shane." Said Andrea.

"Rick, you can't leave again," Lori pleaded, "Please don't." Carl's eyes were teary eyed again.

"I'm sorry." Rick did look sorry, his head dropped as he said it.

Lori dropped her head and headed to her tent, Carl followed after her. Rick rubbed his face with his hands.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." Said Rick calmly.

Everybody shook their heads in disappointment; the only people who looked willing to go back into the city were Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl. Everybody else looked worried.

An hour or so passed and the heat began to die down. People were dispersed around the camp doing whatever they could find to keep themselves occupied. Rick, Lori, and Carl were sitting together by the fire pit talking but Angelina couldn't hear what they were saying.

Angelina sat with Glenn on the hood of the jeep as they awaited the darkness. Angelina didn't have any idea on what to do. Rick was back and she was with Shane. Was Rick over her? Did he still love her? Does she love him? She was with Shane and she liked Shane a lot. Everything she was unsure about with Rick she was sure about with Shane. Except for one thing. She just didn't know what. There was just something about Shane that frightened her. Something missing.

"I'm goanna go to the tent, I'll be right back." Angelina said as she hopped off the hood of the jeep and headed towards the tents.

"Be careful." Glenn called after her. Angelina stuck her hand up in the air as an okay. She wasn't going to the tents though; she was going to the clearing in the woods she found. She could get away from everything there and every so often a deer would wander into the clearing, they were so beautiful.

She walked down the hill to the tents and then pushed past hers. She walked for a few more minutes and was at the clearing. But what she saw made her stop. A deer was lying on the ground, stomach ripped open and guts strewn everywhere, with a walker eating its insides.

Her breath caught and she couldn't breath. _Don't panic, _she thought. She took a step backwards and her foot landed on a branch, it cracked. She didn't move a muscle, she didn't even breathe. The walker stopped eating and slowly it turned its head around. One of its eyes was hanging out of its skull and it bounced as it jerked its head, trying to get a better look at Angelina. As it continued to turn its head fully at her she saw that its cheek was missing. She could see a row of rotted teeth with bits of flesh stuck in it. She screamed. She heard people call back to her and she screamed again.

The walker stood up and began stumbling towards her. She reached down towards her boot and groped around, not taking her eyes off the walker for a second. It neared her and stuck its arms out, trying to grab her. She finally felt the handle of the butterfly knife in her boot and yanked it out. She took a step backwards as the walker gained speed and came at her. She flipped the knife around and threw it at the walker's head, hitting it right between the eyes. It fell to the ground with a thud just as Shane, Dale, Daryl, Rick, and Glenn arrived behind her.

She was breathing heavily and was sure she was on the verge of collapsing. She felt to hands on her shoulders and knew they were Shane's.

"What happened?" Asked Dale as he examined the walker.

"I just came back here to think and it was eating that dear. It heard me step on a branch."

"Nice aim with the butterfly knife," Complimented Daryl.

"Thanks."

He pulled the knife out of the walker's skull, wiped it on his pants, and then handed it back to Angelina. She stuck it back in her boot.

"Do they normally come up this far?" Asked Rick; Angelina looked at him and he looked extremely worried.

"Nope, this is the first one I've ever seen up this far." Said Glenn, "Maybe it was the car alarm?"

Dale stared down at the walker, "I don't think it could have gotten up here that fast. They're so slow."

"So it's been up here for a while?" Said Shane, "Damn, we sleep here. It could have gotten us."

"But it didn't." reassured Angelina, "Hopefully that was the only one."

"We can't be too careful," Rick said, "There could be a herd around here."

"Doubtful, why would they be up here?" Asked Daryl.

"They're running out of food in the city," Dale mumbled, everybody looked at him in horror.

"We should warn the others to keep a look out," Said Glenn, then turned directly to Angelina and said, "And not walk off by themselves."

Angelina glared at him.

"He's right, Angel." Said Shane and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. Rick looked as if he was okay on the outside, but inside he was dying. He called Angelina Angel. He had rubbed her shoulder when she was scared or nervous. _Since when did Shane catch her fancy? _Rick thought. _What does she see in him anyway? It's probably because he isn't married. _

Daryl broke the silence that had come over them by saying, "Where did you learn to throw a knife that that? It takes skill to hit something between the eyes. Especially at that distance."

"My dad was a bit of a weapons geek. Taught me how to use fancy knives and shoot."

"I didn't know that," Said Shane, he frowned, "You should of told us."

"I don't like using guns,"

"Well honey you're goanna have to get over that. With all them walkers around your bound to use one any day now." Daryl chuckled.

Angelina frowned, "I know."

She turned around and headed back towards her tent, this time entering and not going somewhere where people weren't.

About thirty minutes later Shane entered their tent and sat down next to her. He didn't say anything to her, just stared.

"Is there something on my face?" She asked after a minute or two.

Shane chuckled, "No, I'm just glad you're alright. You could have died today. What were you thinking wandering off like that?"

"I was thinking that I needed time alone and I happened to like that spot."

"Come here," Shane opened his arms and she crawled into them, laying her head on his fit chest, "What's the matter."

"Nothing, I just feel horrible. We presumed Rick dead and left him there. Just left him there!"

Shane kissed her head, "Angel, he had no heartbeat. He was gone."

"You really think people are going to believe that? That Lori is going to believe that?"

Shane heaved a heavy sigh, "She is going to have to."

"We should go to dinner," Angelina went to stand up but Shane grabbed her hand. She stopped and looked at him,

"Please don't do that to me ever again," Said Shane, all happiness gone from his face, he was serious and she knew it. It was unlike Shane to look so serious; he always had happiness in his voice.

Angelina leaned down and kissed him, "Okay, I'm sorry Shane."

In the morning people said their goodbyes as Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl. Angelina felt bad for Daryl; Daryl's brother was the only one who really cared about him. Of course if he died people would miss his hunting skills, but probably not him.

Lori and Carl both bid their goodbyes to Rick; Carl teary eyed and emotional, while Lori seemed angry.

"Be careful," Angelina told Glenn as he placed a few guns in the back of the truck.

"I will," Glenn replied and sighed, "You worry to much."

"You have to when you're at risk of being eaten,"

Glenn chuckled, "Okay, I'll be fine." Angelina and Glenn hugged goodbye and then the others loaded into the truck. They group waved goodbye as the truck drove off down the mountain.

Angelina, Andrea, Carol, Amy, and Jacquie were all sitting down by the water washing clothes; it was afternoon and the sweltering sun was high in the sky. Angelina was wearing only a tank top and shorts to keep from over heating. She hated that about Atlanta, the heat was to damn hot. As the ladies cleaned the clothes Angelina noticed Shane and Lori talking a little way down the lake and Lori looked pissed. She and Shane were arguing back and forth but from what Angelina could see Lori was winning the argument, or just not giving Shane enough time to speak. She wondered what they were arguing about.

"What do you miss most?" Asked Jacqui, trying to start a conversation.

"I don't know, there's so much," Sighs Amy sadly, "I guess my cell phone."

Andrea dropped a shirt in the water bucket and said with a smirk on her face, "I miss my vibrator."

All of the women laughed, for a few minutes. Laughter was a rare thing at the camp. Angelina enjoyed it. Carol looked around to check if anybody was listening and then said, rather sheepishly,

"Me too." This earned even more laughs from the group of women.

The last thing Angelina remembered before everyone was screaming was Ed walking over to them with a disgruntled look on his face and Carol looking worried.


	4. Tragedy

_If you could envision,_

_The meaning of a tragedy, _

_You might be surprised to hear, it's you and me_

_-Christina Perri, Tragedy _

Chapter Four:

Ed approached the group of women with a sour look on his face and looked down at them.

"What's so funny, ladies?" He asked, looking around at all of them. Then landed his gaze on his wife.

"Nothing, Ed." Replied Andrea. Carol kept her head down.

"Well this ain't a comedy club, you're suppose to be working."

Andrea stood up, "Well maybe if you don't like the way you're clothes are washed you could do something useful and wash them yourself." With that she threw a wet shirt at his chest, only to have it thrown right back at her with much more force. Andrea stumbled back a bit. Angelina stood up,

"Okay Ed, you don't have the right to do that. At least we are contributing to the camp, what do you do besides sit around on your ass all day?"

Ed got in her face, "I don't like the way you're speaking to me. Come on Carol." He reached down and grabbed his wife's arm roughly. Andrea grabbed Carol's other arm and held her firmly in place.

"She isn't going anywhere with you Ed; you think we haven't seen the bruises? We aren't letting her go back to that."

Ed tugged on Carol's arm and she let out a gasp of pain.

"Come on Carol," He growled.

"No, Ed."

"What did you just say to me?"

"I said no." Carol repeated. Ed's hand slapped her face so hard she fell backwards. Amy caught her and then Ed was fighting to grab Carol again, who was in the middle of the group. Ed pushed at Andrea and Jacqui; Amy held Carol back where she was safe. Ed pushed Andrea to the ground and that's when Angelina, without thinking, made her knee connect with Ed's groin. Ed gasped in pain but was up shortly after and smacked Angelina.

Turing her head back around Angelina was expecting to see Ed come at her again but instead witnessed Shane pull Ed back and throw him onto the ground with all of his might. Shane got down next to Ed and propped himself on his knee, then began throwing punch after punch at Ed's face.

Carol had broken free of Amy's grasp but Andrea caught her and kept her from stopping Shane. Angelina's hand was over her mouth. _He's going to kill him, _She thought, _Shane is going to kill Ed. _She couldn't say Ed didn't deserve it. He treated Carol horribly.

Ed's face was swollen and purple and he was choking on his own blood. Shane continued to beat Ed to a pulp. Each time he brought down his fist the punches seemed to get harder. You could hear the sound of Shane's knuckles connecting with Ed's face.

"Shane stop." Angelina choked out. Shane couldn't hear her.

"Shane stop!" She said louder. Shane didn't stop.

"Shane you're going to kill him!" She shouted again and Shane's fist stopped in mid air. He looked at Angelina with wild eyes and she looked back with pleading eyes, asking him to please stop. Shane brought his fist down like he was going to hit Ed again but changed his hand from a fist to a point.

"If you ever lay a hand on your wife, daughter, Angelina, or any other member of this camp, I will not stop next time! Do you hear me?" He roared the last question and Ed flinched. "I said do you hear me?" He repeated and Ed nodded.

Shane stood up over Ed and sent two kicks into his ribs; then he stalked back towards the camp. Angelina watched him in horror; she had never seen that side of Shane before. Had he only done that because Ed smacked her? Or was he mad about Ed attacking everybody? Shane had seen the bruises on Carol before and never done anything like this. It was probably the first.

Carol rushed over to her husband and fell to her knees. She held his face in her hands while he choked and cringed in pain with every breath. It was horrible to watch so Angelina headed quickly back up to the camp away from the scene.

When she arrived she didn't see Shane around and figured he had to be in the tent. She waved at Dale and he gave her a questioning look but didn't say anything. She headed down the slope and into the pack of tents. She went to the end of it and unzipped her tent door. Shane was sitting in a small fold out chair examining his guns and other weapons. Angelina smiled at him and zipped the tent back up. Then sat down on the cot.

She noticed his hand was bloody and she couldn't tell weather it was his or Ed's. His eyes were almost completely black and she knew something was definitely wrong. Besides the fact that he almost beat a man to death.

"Is your hand okay?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

Shane looked up at her, "Hmm, oh, yeah, its not my blood."

She cringed, "Well that's good. You beat Ed pretty badly." She was looking at the ground.

"Anyone who lays a hand on you is going to get that same treatment." He didn't smile when he said it, he didn't even look up.

Angelina crawled closer to Shane and carefully took the gun out of his hands, causing him to look at her. She took his left hand, the one he didn't use to beat Ed, and kissed it.

"Thank you," she said in a near whisper.

Shane leaned foreword and kissed her deeply. She placed a hand on his cheek and felt the stubble of his beard trying to grow back in. The kiss became deeper until Shane had her pinned against the cot with him lying over her. She parted her lips trying to catch her breath and Shane's tongue took it as a welcoming. Their tongues danced together and Angelina sighed. Shane was such a good kisser. Shane ran his hand up her leg and then under her shirt placing it on her stomach and then working his way up to place them on her breasts.

Angelina pulled his shirt over his head and then explored his muscular chest with her hands. There were so many things to feel! His muscles were decadent, what every woman would want.

Shane removed her shirt and kissed her neck, then worked his way down her stomach. He licked her stomach and then kissed her breasts. Her eyes fluttered and she pulled Shane back up to her mouth so she could kiss him. With her arms around his neck she was being slightly lifted off the bed. Shane ran a slow finger down her back until he reached the small of her back, he circled his finger around that spot and she arched her back into him.

Shane smirked into the kiss, causing Angelina to smile as well. Shane and Angelina's make out session became so intense that they rolled off the cot and Shane landed on his back, on the tent floor with Angelina on top of him. Angelina giggled and Shane pulled her head down towards him. It was a slow move; he wanted to savor that kiss forever. It was so sweet and calm, just a simple kiss. Angelina pulled away and smiled down at Shane, stroking his hair.

"How did I get so lucky?" Shane asked, causing Angelina to blush and kiss him again.

"I guess you could thank the end of the world for that," She laughed, "Seeing as how if the world didn't go to shit we would have never met."

Shane chuckled, "That was the only good thing about all this." Angelina straddled Shane's lap and he sat up and wrapped his arm around her waist. He looked up at her and rubbed his thumbs along her stomach.

"I wish we knew each other before," He stared at her stomach and chest, "I saw you once but didn't talk to you."

"You did, when?" She was shocked, for she had not seen him until after he came to the hospital to see Rick.

He smiled, remembering, "You were dropping papers off to Rick from the hospital. I only saw you for a minute from the side and from behind. You were leaving his office, and I was joking to Rick how that if I got to know you, I called dibs on you."

Angelina giggled, "You called dibs on me? You can't call dibs on a person, plus Rick is married, so why would you even consider calling dibs?"

Shane smiled, "You're beautiful, I wasn't sure if even Rick could help himself. I knew you two were working together. I figured since he got Lori, I should get you."

Angelina couldn't believe Shane thought Rick would have an affair, did Rick look like someone who would have an affair? Even though he was having an affair.

Angelina grinned nervously, "Well, you did get me and that's all that matters." She leaned down and kissed him sweetly. "It's getting late, we should get dressed. I'm goanna help Lori make dinner."

Shane rubbed her back and kissed her shoulder. Then he let her stand up and she handed Shane his shirt, then she slipped hers over her head.

It was mid afternoon and it was blistering hot out, everybody was either sitting under an umbrella, a tree, or down by the water. Except for Jim.

Shane sat at the RV door as Angelina hung clothes on a line with Carol. Carol didn't seem upset about Ed's earlier beating; and there was no visible mark from the slap Ed had given her.

"Hey, will you look at that," Said Morales enthusiastically, "Check it out." Morales was pointing and walking towards Andrea and Amy, who were both carrying about nine fish.

"Ladies," He began, "Because of you my children will eat tonight. For that I say thank you." He bowed slightly in appreciation as Amy and Andrea handed him the fish.

"Thank Dale, it was his canoe and equipment."

Carl had taken a line of fish from Morales and was showing it to Lori, "Mom look! Look at all the fish!" He shoved the fish into Lori's face and she laughed and leaned away.

"Whoa," said Carl, in aw as he examined the fish.

"Yeah whoa, where did you guys learn to do that?" Asked Lori curiously.

"Our dad," replied Amy, proudly.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Carl asked Amy.

Amy smiled and took a drink of water, "Sure! I'll teach you all about nail knots and stuff. If its alright with you?" She looked at Lori and Lori put her hands up.

"Don't see me complaining."

"We are going to have such a good diner tonight," Chuckled Angelina.

Dale walked into the group of happy campers with a disgruntled look on his face; seeing the look on his face Shane stood up from his spot and walked over to him.

"Hey Dale," Began Andrea, joking lightly, "When was the last time you oiled those lines? They were a disgrace."

Dale didn't answer Andrea and instead looked around at the campers nervously,

"I don't mean to alarm anyone, but we may have a problem." Then he pointed into the short distance where Jim was digging, and had been digging for the last few hours, in the one hundred degree heat.

"What's he digging for?" Questioned Shane and Dale shrugged.

"I don't know, but we should go talk to him. He's goanna get heat exhaustion."

Shane nodded in agreement.

Morales, Angelina, Amy, Andrea, and the rest of the group followed Shane and Dale up to where Jim was digging furiously. His shirt was covered in sweat as well as his hair and face. There were multiple holes around him and he was working on another. Everybody stopped in a huddle while Shane and Dale tried to speak to him.

Shane stood for a moment and looked around at his surroundings, Jim didn't acknowledge that there were people around him and continued to dig.

"Hey Jim," Began Shane, "Why don't you hold up for a minute, just give me a second here?"

Jim sighed and stuck the shovel into the ground, "What do you want?"

"I'm just a little concerned man, that's all," Replied Shane, sincerely.

"Dale says you've been out here for hours," Added Morales.

"So?" Asked Jim, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"So why are you digging?" Replied Shane, then he smiled and chuckled, "What, you heading to China, man? I mean, come on."

Jim smiled, "What does it matter? I'm not hurting anyone." Then he began to dig again.

Dale spoke next, "Yeah, except maybe yourself, it's a hundred degrees out here. You can't keep this up."

"Sure I can, watch me."

Lori stepped up next to Dale, "Jim, they're not going to say it so I will, you're scaring people. You're scaring my son and Carol's daughter."

Jim put down the shovel again and breathed heavily, "They've got nothing to be scared of. I mean, what the hell people out here by myself, why don't you just go any leave me the hell alone."

Shane took a step closer to Jim, "We think that you need to take a break, okay? Why don't you go sit in the shade, get yourself some food, and hey maybe later I'll come out here and I'll help you? Just tell me what it's about? Why don't you go ahead and just give me the shovel?"

Jim stuck the shovel in the ground again, "Or what?"

Shane seemed taken aback by the question, "There is no or what. I'm asking you, I'm coming to you and asking you please, I don't want to have to take it from you."

"And if I don't, then what? You goanna beat my face like you beat Ed?"

Shane pursed his lips and dropped his head.

"Ya'll have seen his face, what's left of it anyway! See now that's what happens when someone crosses you, Shane."

"That was different Jim," Shane growled and Angelina knew he was getting angry.

"That was different Jim, you weren't there." Said Amy, over Shane's words, "Ed was out of control and hit his wife and Angelina."

"That is their marriage, not his!" Yelled Jim, "Who voted you judge and jury, who voted you king boss?" He asked Shane, angrily.

"Jim, I don't want to argue with you, just give me the shovel." Shane reached for the shovel and Jim backed away. When Shane reached for it again Jim pushed him back and took a swing at him, barely missing his head. Angelina nearly shrieked but Shane dodged it and tackled Jim to the ground. Pinning him on his stomach.

"You got no right!" Jim was yelling and Shane was pleading with him to just stop it.

"You got no right!" Jim shouted again.

"Jim, please just calm, nobody is going to hurt you," Shane said reassuringly as he handcuffed Jim's hands together behind his back.

"That's a lie, that's the biggest lie there is." Jim whimpered. "I told that to my wife and my two boys. I said it a hundred times." His face was half mushed into the ground and tears threatened to come out of his eyes. "It didn't matter, they came outta nowhere," Everybody was listening in horror to the story of Jim's family. Both of Lori's hands were over her mouth and her eyes widened with sorrow and fear. "Dozens of 'em. Just pulled them right outta my hands." He stared off into the distance as he told the tragic tale, "The only reason I got away was because they were too busy eating my family." Angelina's eyes welled up as well as everybody else's.

Shane backed off of Jim and stared down at him sadly. Jim was a very strong man. If Angelina had witnessed that happening to her family, if she had a family, she wouldn't have been able to go on.

As it became dark out and all of the fish were cooked people settled around the fire to eat a meal. Shane had cuffed Jim to a tree but had released him so he could eat.

"Pass the fish please," Asked Carl as the fish was going quickly. It was the best meal they had yet.

"This is amazing," Sighed Angelina, in delight.

As Morales was indulging in his fish he was also eyeing Dale,

"What?" Dale asked, noticing Morales.

"I got to ask you man, what's up with that watch?"

"What do you mean, what's up with my watch?" Dale chuckled in response.

"I see you everyday, winding that thing at the same time, like a village priest winding a mass."

Andrea nodded, "I've noticed that too."

"I'm missing the point here," Said Dale.

Jacqui chuckled, "If I'm incorrect the world has ended."

"And here you're winding that stupid watch." Finished Morales.

"Time." Shrugged Dale, "It's important to keep track of. The days at least! Don't you think? Andrea back me up here."

Andrea shook her head and took a sip of beer. Amy stood up and Andrea looked at her,

"Where are you going?" She asked.

Amy looked around at the group and then looked down at Andrea, "I have to pee." She said in a hushed tone. "Jeez, you try to be discreet around here."

That earned a laugh from the group as she headed to the RV to do her business. Not a minute later Amy was back at the RV door,

"Hey we're out of toilet paper." Then, out of nowhere, a walker came around the corner and grabbed her arm, taking a huge bight out of it. Amy screamed in horror and everybody turned around.

Walkers were flooding the camp and Amy was clutching her arm and screaming while she leaned on the side of the RV. Everybody quickly stood up and all hell broke loose. Andrea screamed and that triggered everybody else's screams.

"Everybody down!" Shouted Shane as he grabbed his gun and began shooting at walker after walker. Jim was beating walkers with a baseball bat as well as Morales; while everybody else tried frantically to find somewhere safe to stay with their children.

Another walker came up behind Amy and took a chunk out of her neck,

"No!" Cried Andrea and rushed to her sister while Jim killed the walker with a bat. Shane continued to take down walker after walker and Dale had joined him. Angelina was standing behind Shane while looking around to make sure everybody was located.

Then she spotted her; Morales' daughter had somehow ended up separated from the group and a walker was coming up right behind her. Angelina grabbed the butterfly knife out of her boot and ran to Eliza. She wasn't going to make it in time so she threw the knife into the walker's skull and then grabbed Eliza and ran back behind the group.

"Are you okay? Are you bit?" Angelina asked frantically but the girl didn't respond.

"Mommy!" Eliza shrieked, and Angelina whipped her head around in time to see Miranda get her neck ripped open and blood spurt all over her son's face. Miranda screamed in pain and Angelina grabbed a stone from the fire and bludgeoned the walkers head in with it. Beating it until its skull was open and she could see its rotted brains. Then grabbed Louis and pulled him over to where Eliza was crying; Louis was probably in shock and his mother's blood was all over his face. Miranda was still alive.

"Lori!" Angelina shouted, Lori was standing right behind her, "Watch them!" Lori took the now motherless children while Angelina rushed over to Miranda.

She put pressure on the wound, "Shh, it's going to be okay, everything is going to be fine"

Rick and the group who were in the city had arrived and now things were getting better. Walkers were going down left and right. They were no match against all these guns, baseball bats, and one lethal crossbow.

Walkers were eating intestines of campers; people were screaming and trying to get to the RV. Angelina remained next to Miranda, the amount of walkers that were around them had lessoned. Angelina had to take down three with large rocks that were around the fire. Walker blood was all over her face. Splattered all over her like some kind of sick painting made with blood.

Gunshots continued to fire and Shane was screaming something but she couldn't hear him. She was focused on keeping Miranda and herself safe from any more walkers that might come their way. She felt something zoom past her head and realized it was a bullet when it connected with a walkers head and it fell to the ground just a few feet from her. She looked at where the shot was fired from, expecting to see Shane, but instead it was Rick. She smiled at him with tears in her eyes and blood on her shirt. She didn't know if he understood the smile but it was meant to let him know that she still cared about him. And to thank him for just saving her life, but she figured he knew that part. Angelina dropped to the ground and was on her knees next to Miranda.

"Everything is going to be okay," Angelina repeated to Miranda who was dying in her arms. The shooting had stopped and Angelina knew Miranda was almost gone.

"Morales!" Angelina cried, tears poring down her face, "Morales, come over here, quick!" Morales rushed over and when he saw the state his wife was in he collapsed to the ground next to Miranda.

"No," He whispered, "No, no, no, no, no!" He screamed as he took his wife into his arms. Angelina stood up and realized she was covered in blood. Her shirt was red and it was all over her arms and neck as well. She was crying, Amy was dying, Miranda was dying, and fallen camp members were lying all over the ground. Not to mention dozens of completely dead walkers.

"Please stay with me," Begged Morales, "Please don't leave me." He kissed his wife's forehead as he pushed his shirt onto her wound.

"Morales, I'm not goanna make it," She said weakly, "Let me say goodbye to them."

Morales let out a sob and motioned for the kids to come over. Lori let them go as she clung onto Carl and Rick for dear life. Louis and Eliza were crying as well, uncontrollably.

"I love you two so much," Miranda, whispered to them, "You'll always feel my love. Even when I'm gone." Angelina walked into Shane's arms and buried her face in his chest, letting out tears that she didn't want anyone to see.

Eliza and Louis cried in their father arms and held their mothers hands as she slowly slipped away. Morales didn't realize it at first. It was only when he said I love you and she didn't respond that he realized she was gone. He didn't move, he just held onto his kids and cried with them; stroking his daughter's hair and holding his son tightly in his arms.

It was only then that Angelina realized that Amy had been bitten and Andrea was crying over her sisters limp body. Blood was all over them and Andrea was loosing it.

"No, no, no." She uttered through tears and sobs that were uncontrollable.

"I don't know what to do," Croaked Andrea as she stroked her sisters face and held her in her arms. Amy tried to breath but she was choking on her own blood.

"I love you," choked Amy and then slowly her eyes fluttered shut, for the last time as a breathing human being.

**Wow! That was an intense chapter! My heart was threatening to jump out of my chest while I was writing that last scene! Poor Morales and his family! :( I feel bad for killing Miranda but it makes things more exciding. Review please! :) **


	5. All Dead, All Dead

_All dead, all dead _

_All the dreams we had_

_And I wonder why I still live on-Queen, All Dead, All Dead_

Chapter Five:

The camp was silent, the only sound was from the birds and the wind. There was a breeze wafting through the camp but it didn't do much about the heat that threatened everyone. A fire was made and T-Dog and Glenn were disposing of the bodies of the walkers who attacked. Everyone else was to be buried.

Andrea had sat by her sister's side for the entire night, stroking her hair and staring at her. Waiting for her to wake up. Shane, Lori, and Dale all sat near the fire pit they used to cook with. Angelina was helping Daryl make sure all the walkers were dead by bashing their heads in with either a bat or a pickaxe. Angelina didn't normally help with these kinds of things but she was so angry that she figured it was the best way to get her anger out.

Lori stood up from her perch by the fire and walked over to Andrea,

"Andrea," Breathed Lori, calmly as she squatted down next to her, "I'm so sorry, but she's gone. You gotta let us…take her. We all cared about her and I promise we'll be as gentle as we can." When Andrea didn't respond, Lori placed a comforting hand on her back and stood up. Then headed back to the fire.

"She still hasn't moved?" Asked Rick, arriving at the fire after having been off somewhere.

"She's been there all night," Sighed Lori.

"We can't just leave Amy like that, we need to deal with it." Said Shane, sternly.

"I'll talk to her, tell her how it is." Said Rick.

He approached Andrea and could only say her name before she drew her gun on him.

"I know how the safety works," She said, flatly. Rick backed off.

"I'm sorry," He slowly moved away from Andrea and her dead sister and went back to the fire.

Angelina struck a walkers head with the pickaxe and yanked it out, blood gushed out of its head and onto the dirt ground. Then she moved on to another walker and Glenn and T-Dog threw it into the fire. Daryl had found one walker head that was still chomping, it had been decapitated but the brain had not been destroyed.

"You want to do it?" He asked Angelina and she raised an eyebrow.

"Not really," She chuckled, nobody had ever asked her if she wanted to kill a walker and she found it amusing, "You're much more skilled at the art of walker killing anyway."

Daryl smiled and stabbed the walker with his pick. The pickaxe got stuck and he had to yank it out, sending blood all over Angelina.

She closed her eyes and wrinkled her nose while Daryl laughed.

"That is so gross," She moaned.

She shook off the blood and giggled. It probably looked bad that they were laughing after such a horrible event, but laughter was what people needed at a time like this. Laughter solves mostly everything.

"You all can't be serious," Said Daryl, frustrated. He had found out that Andrea's sister had still not been shot in the head and was bound to wake up as a walker any moment, "Not with that girl hamstering us, the dead girl's a time bomb." His arm was open and was pointing as Andrea and her sister.

"What do you suggest?" Asked Rick. Daryl moved closer to him and in a low deadly voice, said:

"Take the shot. Clean, in the brain, from here. Hell I could get a turkey between the eyes from this distance."

"No," Said Angelina, "For god sakes, just let her be."

Shane and Rick exchanged glances and Daryl shook his head in disbelief and walked off.

"Wakeup Jimbo, we got some work to do." Daryl said as he went back over to where the walkers were being deposited. Morales had already taken care of Miranda and she was ready to be buried. Now he was helping with the other dead walkers. Trying to drag them into the fire. Daryl helped him with one he couldn't lift and they dragged it towards the fire.

"Hey what are you doing, this ones for geeks, our people go over there." Glenn said and pointed over to a line of dead bodies that were to be buried.

"What's the difference they're all infected?" Questioned Daryl, Morales had stopped dragging the body and was looking at Glenn.

"Our people go over there, we don't burn them!" Glenn shouted, angrily, "We bury them." He finished sadly. "Understand?" Then he pointed again to the row of bodies, "They go over there."

Daryl and Morales looked at him in amazement; then redirected the course of the body towards the row of dead campers.

Daryl grunted something and Morales told him to shut up.

"You all left my brother for dead! You had this coming!" Shouted Daryl angrily, and then stalked off to collect more walkers.

Jim was walking around the camp breathing heavily and looking or something to do when Jacqui spotted him. She bent down to move a walker and she noticed something on his shirt.

"Are you bleeding?"

"No, I just got some on me," He panted.

"That bloods fresh," She called him on his bluff. "Did you get bit?"

"No I got scratched during the attack." Jim said, still trying to lift the walker. Jacqui had stood up and was harassing him with demands.

"You got bit." She repeated, this time not as a question.

"I'm fine." Jim grunted

"Then show me!"

Jim moved closer to Jacqui, and whispered, "Don't tell."

"A walker got him!" She shouted and his eyes went wide, "A walker bit Jim!" She shouted again. Everybody surrounded Jim,

"I'm okay," He breathed.

Daryl was looking threatening with his pickaxe propped on his shoulder, "Show it to us." He demanded. Then almost went at him with his axe. Jim picked up a shovel to defend himself. Shane was shouting at him to show them but Jim just kept repeating he was okay.

T-Dog grabbed Jim's arms from behind and Shane lifted his shirt up to reveal a bite mark. It wasn't bad but any bite would turn you. T-Dog let go of him and backed off. Everybody put a good distance between themselves and Jim.

"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." He repeated multiple times.

The group sat Jim down by the RV as everybody planned on what to do with him.

"We should put a pickaxe in his head, and the dead girl's too." Said Daryl.

Shane looked at him angrily, "Is that what you would want?"

"Hell yes, and I would thank you while you did it!"

"I hate to say it, but I think Daryl's right." Dale sighed in defeat; he had made it a personal vow to never agree with Daryl, because, well, Daryl was hostile and a bit crazy.

"Jim's not a monster Dale, or some rabid dog."

"I'm not saying that at all!" Dale defended.

"We can't go down that road. Where do we draw the line?" Asked Rick to the group.

"Well the lines pretty clear, no tolerance for walkers." Daryl growled.

"What if we could get him something, a cure? I hear the CDC was working on something." Suggested Rick.

"I heard a lot of things before the world went to hell." Said Shane.

"How would we even get to the CDC, its in the city?" Asked Angelina in disbelief. "Plus everybody there is probably dead, we would get ourselves killed."

"But what if it's still up and running?" Rick asked.

"Man, that is a stretch right there." Shane mumbled.

"Why? If there were any government left and running they would protect the CDC at all costs. It would provide shelter and food."

"Even if it was still going," Began Angelina, "What makes you think they would let us in? I mean look at us. They probably wouldn't trust us."

Shane nodded in agreement with Angelina, "Look Rick, I know you want shelter and protection and so do I and the best place for that is Fort Benning."

"That's a hundred miles in the opposite direction." Said Lori.

"Exactly, out of the hot zone. And it would be heavily armed and an army base is more likely to take in civilians. It would be safe."

"But the military got over run, we've all seen that. The CDC is our best option."

"Rick, it's in the city. If anything we should head in the opposite direction of the city. Into the country side, in the middle of no where." Angelina said, "The Fort Benning may be a good option but who is to say either the CDC or the base is safe. We have no way of knowing. But what we do know is that there are always more walkers in the city."

"While you guys argue I'm goanna go ahead and take of what needs doing!" Daryl shouted angrily. Then went at Jim with his pickaxe. But before he could hit Jim, Rick drew a gun on him and the axe stopped in mid swing.

"We don't kill the living." Rick growled at Daryl. Shane stood between Jim and Daryl. "That's funny, coming from a man who just put a gun to my head."

"We may disagree about some things," Began Shane, "But not this, go on put it down."

Daryl stuck the pickaxe into the ground, angrily and then walked off.

Rick took Jim into the RV so he was safe and Dale tried to talk to Andrea. He got her to speak but Angelina knew he mentioned nothing about what they were going to have to do. It was odd that it was taking so long for Amy to wake back up, but Angelina knew it was going to happen.

Morales and his kids seemed like they were doing well. He tried to keep them away from their mother's body because there was a bullet hole in Miranda's head. Eliza and Louis were sitting under a tree with Carl and Sophia. Carol was watching them closely.

Angelina was sitting in a chair, trying to scrub blood off of her hands with a damp towel. Morales came over and sat down in the chair next to her.

"Thank you." He said, "If it wasn't for you my children would probably be dead as well."

Angelina looked up at him, "I'm sorry I didn't get to Miranda in time. How are Louis and Eliza? They both saw it and I know things like that can traumatize a person."

Morales looked at the ground, "Eliza is better than Louis, then again she didn't have her mothers blood on her face. I think they'll get better as time goes on."

Angelina nodded, "You should stay with them, they probably want to talk to their father. I know I would." Morales nodded and then stood up, took a deep breath, and walked over to his kids.

As Angelina continued to help bludgeon walkers skulls in with a pickaxe Carol approached one particularly gruesome dead body that Daryl was about to axe.

"I'll do it," She said, "He was my husband wasn't he?" Daryl handed Carol the axe and she hesitated before bringing it down on Ed's eaten off face multiple times. She was crying and whimpering.

The man who had beaten her for years was dead and now she was finally getting her revenge. She didn't even have to do anything. After Ed's head was basically gone she handed the axe back to Daryl.

"Don't bother burying him, he wasn't worth it." Then she walked off to go back to Sophia.

Daryl and Angelina exchanged a glance and then continued bashing the brains in.

Later on that day Angelina placed a hand on Shane's arm and he looked at her, and then followed her gaze towards Andrea and the now fully reanimated Amy. Amy was trying to bite Andrea but she was slow and Andrea was holding her back. Shane got Rick's attention and after a few seconds mostly everybody's eyes were on Andrea and Amy.

As Amy became more aggressive Shane and Rick moved forward with their guns out. But Andrea beat them to the kill. She leaned her head against her sister's and then pulled the trigger. Amy's body fell back to the ground and Andrea whispered to her,

"I'm so sorry."

The group gathered around the holes Jim had dug and the reason for his digging was finally clear. Andrea dragged her sister's body towards a grave and Dale tried to help, but Andrea refused to let him.

"I can do it." She kept pleading, "I can do it." Tears were in her eyes as she put her sisters head down on the dirt floor and hoisted herself out of the hole. Angelina took Shane's hand and he rubbed hers with his thumb.

Then it was Morales turn to bury Miranda. He and Dale both lifted her body and laid it carefully in the grave. Eliza and Louis were standing by themselves crying and Angelina let go of Shane's hand and walked over to them. She took both of their hands and Eliza hugged her tightly. Burying her face into Angelina's stomach. She stroked her hair and held Louis's hand. Louis hadn't said one word since his mother died. He was like a statue.

Shane watched Angelina with the kids in admiration. She had a way with children. After Morales and Dale backed away from the grave he took his kids hands and hugged them both. Angelina went back over to Shane and he took her hand in his much larger one. Then everyone made their way back down to the RV.

It turned to afternoon and the sun was becoming less hot. The breeze was becoming stronger and the campers were beginning to settle down from the day's hard work. Everyone was gathered around the fire when Rick, Shane, and Dale returned from being out in the woods. Shane put his knee on the edge of a log and spoke.

"I've been thinking about Rick's plan," Everyone's eyes turned to him, "I've known this man for a long time and I trust his instincts. We can't be sure that any where's safe but the CDC sounds like our best option. I also think that the most important thing right now is that we stay together. If everybody agrees, we are going to leave first thing in the morning." Everybody agreed.

That night people packed up everything that they didn't need that night or tomorrow morning. Angelina was packing up her and Shane's tent while Shane helped with the bigger things outside. After Angelina finished she lay down on the cot but couldn't fall asleep. To many things had happened that day and the day previous. She couldn't shake those images out of her head.

Finally Shane came into the tent, he was covered in sweat and dirt. His shirt was a darker shade of blue that it really was because of his sweat, and patches of dirt and blood stained it even more. Shane kicked off his boots and crawled into bed.

"Take your shirt off," Said Angelina.

Shane looked confused but took his shirt off anyway, "Why?"

"Because it smells really bad and its soaking wet, you'll freeze during the night."

"I'm goanna freeze even more if I don't have a shirt on," He chuckled.

"No you won't," Angelina moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his body. Snuggling up very close to him and burrowing her head under his chin. Then Shane pulled the covers over them and they were both toasty warm.

"Is that good?" She asked.

Shane nodded, "It's perfect." There was silence for a moment but Angelina knew neither of them was asleep.

"Are you okay?" He asked, "You've had a rough day and last night was rough."

"Yeah I'm fine."

"You did great the other night. Saving Eliza and you tried to help Miranda."

"I just did what any person would do,"

Shane shook his head, "You didn't see Lori or Carol go after Eliza, or the walker the got Miranda or any other walkers that tried to get Miranda and yourself."

"They have kids, Shane," Angelina snuggled into Shane more and he kissed the top of her head. "I just have you and me to worry about and last night you seemed like you were doing okay."

Shane smiled, "Yeah, but you do more for me than you think."

"I've seen you with a gun, you can handle yourself most of the time. You mostly look after me."

Shane chuckled, "You may not think you look after me, but you do. I don't know how I could handle all this without you."

Angelina smiled, "I feel the same way." Shane laid an arm over her protectively and then they drifted off to a light sleep.

"Okay everybody, we're going to be on channel 40, but keep the talking to a minimum. Only use it if you have a problem or an important question. So any questions?" Shane informed and then asked.

Morales stepped forward, "We, ah, we're not going."

"Why?" Asked Angelina.

"We have family in Birmingham, we want to be with our people," Explained Morales. Everybody was so shocked.

"If you're on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back." Warned Shane.

"We'll take the chance, I gotta do what's best for my family." Morales said, firmly.

"Are you sure?" Asked Rick.

"Positive, we discussed it and the kids want to go see family."

"Well all right," Said Rick.

Angelina walked up to Morales and hugged him goodbye, then gave Eliza and Louis hugs and a kiss on the head. Then everybody else said their goodbyes to the teary eyed children. When Morales was finished talking to Rick and Shane, who were giving him one extra gun and half a box of bullets, he said his goodbyes to everybody else.

"Okay," Said Shane, "Let's move out!" He shouted and everybody loaded into the packed vehicles and began to drive off. There were several vehicles; Shane and Angelina were in Shane's jeep alone while some people were in the RV, two in a van, Rick, Lori, and Carl shared a truck with Carol and Sophia, and finally Daryl had his own truck.

Shane held Angelina's hand as they drove through abandoned streets with homes on them, the front doors swung open and windows broken. Past dilapidated neighborhoods and half eaten animals on the side of road.

Angelina looked at the side mirror at the road that there camp was on as it slowly faded away.

About twenty minutes into the drive the RV stopped with smoke coming out of the hood.

"I told you we wouldn't get far on that hose, I have to change it." Dale explained to Rick.

"Can't you tape it?" asked Rick.

"That's all it's been lately. More duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape."

"I see something up ahead, possibly a gas station if we're lucky." Said Shane, as he looked through the binoculars.

"Ya'll, Jim, he's bad," Jacquie said frantically as she came out of the RV. She had been taking care of Jim. "I don't think he can take it much longer." With that she went back into the RV to take care of him.

"Hey Rick, you want to hold down the fort, I'll drive ahead and check it out?" Suggested Shane.

"Yeah that sounds good. I'll come along to and back you up." Volunteered T-Dog.

Shane went back to his jeep and Angelina followed him,

"Shane, you don't know what's up there. What if it's flooded with walkers?"

Shane hopped into the jeep, "Angel, I'll be fine. If we see walkers we'll turn right around. Okay?"

"I don't want you to go,"

"I'm going."

"Then I'm going to, just give me a gun."

Shane chuckled, "You're not going."

"Oh yes I am." She hopped into the back seat and planted herself firmly in the chair.

"Fine, grab a gun out of that bag back there." Instructed Shane, "You know how to use one right?"

"Of course." She smiled. She actually knew how to use a gun pretty well. Her dad was in the army and taught her all about weapons. She hated it when she was younger but all that training finally paid off.

T-Dog got into the jeep and they were off towards the so-called gas station. When they arrived the found out that it was definitely not a gas station, it was a grocery store.

"Should we go in?"

"No, its to big we could get separated, who knows how many walkers are in there." Said Shane. Then he turned the car around and drove back to the rest of the group.

"Well that was a waste." Sighed Angelina.

"Definitely," Said T-Dog.

Back at the vehicles Rick was debating weather to leave Jim in the woods and let him turn. That was what Jim wanted.

"Just leave him here? I don't think I could live with that." Said Shane as he shook his head.

"It's not your choice, its neither one of yours." Said Lori, "The man is dying let him die how he wants."

Rick and Shane help Jim towards the woods and they leaned him against a tree.

"Look at this, another damn tree." Jim chuckled.

"It doesn't have to be like this," Said Shane.

"No, the breeze feels nice." Sighed Jim as he relaxed against the bark.

Shane squeezed his eyes shut, "Okay, all right." Shane wiped his nose and back off of Jim. Jacqui kissed Jim goodbye, then Rick offered him a gun but Jim declined. Dale was the last one to say goodbye.

"Thanks for fighting for us," Dale patted Jim's shoulder and Jim said your welcome.

The group left Jim and got back into their vehicles. As they drove away Jim could be seen staring up at the sun, the last time he would see daylight as a human being.

They arrived at the CDC as it became night. Shane grabbed the bag of guns in the back seat at then got out, Angelina followed. The first thin she noticed was the astronomical amount of flies that were crawling all over the place. Their buzzes were so loud it was like they were in an amp theater. Then the hundreds of dead bodies came into view. Dead soldiers lay everywhere. Half eaten, gutted, or shot, they were everywhere. It was horrible.

As they made their way towards the CDC Angelina still carried the gun Shane had told her to get out of the bag earlier. There were no walkers in sight but Angelina had a feeling they would come if they stayed out in the open long enough.

The smell was another thing. The rotted flesh had sat around so long it smelled worse than usual. Worse than the city did, and the city smelled pretty bad. Angelina passed one dead soldier whose face was completely eaten off. She nearly puked. They quickly and quietly made their way towards the CDC doors, but there were so many bodies they had to get through. It was like a maze.

They arrived at the CDC doors and Rick pushed a button that was supposed to make the doors open, but they didn't. Shane tried to push the door up but it wouldn't budge. Rick helped him and Daryl joined but it still wouldn't work.

"Walker," Angelina said, "Walker."

Daryl shot it with a bow before he began to loose his temper.

"Shut up!" Shane whispered to him angrily, "We have to be quiet."

"What are we going to do, we are so close to the city."

"This is a dead end Rick." Shane said, "We need to leave."

"We can't be this close to the city at night." Urged Lori as she held Carl close to her.

"Fort Benning is still an option Rick."

"On what, no food, no fuel? That a hundred miles." Andrea informed Shane.

"We need answers tonight, Rick." Said Lori.

"Back to the cars." Said Shane, "Everybody get back to the cars."

Everybody began walking back to the cars when Rick mumbled.

"The camera," His eyes widened, "The camera, it moved!" He said louder so people could hear.

"Rick, let it go we need to leave!" Said Shane as he tried to pull Rick away.

"More walkers!" Shouted Lori. T-Dog and Glenn opened fire on the oncoming walkers. Rick didn't move and pushed Shane away when he tried to move him. So Angelina tried.

"Rick, please. Nobody is in there," She took his hand, "You have to focus on the people who need you. Not someone who may or may not be in there."

"Rick we need to go!" Shouted Lori.

"Rick please! Don't do this." Angelina begged, pushing Rick away from the door.

Rick looked at Angelina, "Go with Shane." Then turned his attention back to the camera.

"I know you're in there!" Rick shouted at the camera. "We're desperate, let us in!" He banged on the door. Nothing.

"You're killing us!" Rick shouted at the camera. Shane grabbed him and began pulling him towards the cars.

"You're killing us!" Rick shouted over and over as Shane dragged him away. Shane let him go and just as he did the door opened and a bright white light blinded them all.

**What did Rick mean by that? Hmmm…you shall find out soon enough readers! Review, review, review! :) **


	6. A Flash of Hope

_This love is be and end all _

_This love will be your downfall-Elli Goulding _

**A/N: Graphic sex scene! If you don't like reading sex scenes I suggest you skip it. Hope you like it though! :) **

Chapter Six:

Soldiers and staff members were rushing down the halls. Everybody was in a panic and Angelina was fairly certain she was going to die that day. She was crying as she sat at Rick's bedside; he had been in the hospital for two weeks and had not woken up. She couldn't leave him there and she had nowhere to go.

She was about to take his hand but just then the door to the room opened and Rick's friend Shane came into the room looking terrified. He shut the door behind him and hurried over to the bed. Angelina had stood up and wiped her tears away. Shane grabbed her arms, frantically.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her, eyes wide and sweat beads forming on his forehead.

"No, I'm fine," She replied, "What are you doing here, you're going to get yourself killed."

"I had to come and get you and Rick." Shane looked around the room, "Help me with him."

"You're going to have to get another bed." She choked, "This one isn't going to budge."

Shane swung open the door and ran down the hallway; just a few moments after Angelina heard the sound of gunfire and immediately thought the worst. Shane returned unharmed but looked alarmed, his eyes were black and the sweat was now dripping off his face.

"What was that?" She asked.

Shane's breath was shaky, "They're killing everybody, but the infected got in and got everyone. We need to hurry."

Angelina's eyes filled with tears, she had never been so scared in her life. Shane tried to pick up Rick from the bed but he was attached to cords and Shane had no idea what to do. Angelina began unplugging cords but Shane put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't stop.

"Angelina," He uttered, "Angelina stop."

"No, I've almost got all the things out."

"Angelina he's gone."

Angelina froze, turned around and looked at Shane. He had tears in his eyes. Suddenly he came around to the other side of the bed, grabbed her, and pushed her down to the floor. Placing a hand over her mouth to keep her from making noise. She heard the door opened and then close a few moments after. Shane removed his hand,

"He's gone Angelina, we need to leave."

"He can't be gone," She cried, "He was doing so well." She looked over at Rick but Shane grabbed her shoulders.

"We need to leave now or we are both going to die."

Angelina didn't respond and just let tears come out of her eyes. Shane held onto her shoulders and she finally whispered,

"Okay."

Shane grabbed her hand and they made their way out of the room. Shane grabbed the bed he had brought over and stuck it in front of Rick's room. Then grabbed Angelina's hand again and told her to stay behind him.

"Angelina, you're going to have to do exactly what I tell you to do. Okay?" Shane whispered. Angelina nodded and clung tightly to Shane's hand. Shane and Angelina crept past soldiers who were murdering her coworkers in cold blood. She nearly screamed and Shane pulled her into his chest so she couldn't see.

Shane moved with Angelina in his arms around the corner away from the soldiers. By that point Angelina had recovered and they were both running; running down some stairs, down multiple halls, and then outside. Into a crazier world.

**End Flashback**

The door of the CDC opened and a white light flooded out onto the street blinding everyone. The group entered and looked around at the large facility they were in. The ceiling was extremely high, metal staircases seemed to go every which way, and the windows took up one large wall that the doors were on. Everyone had lowered their guard and when there was the sound of a gun cocking, they all jumped.

Standing in the shadows was a tall, pale man holding a large gun. Shane stepped in front of Angelina and readied his gun.

"Anybody infected?" He called out, gun aimed at nobody unparticular.

"One of group was," Said Rick with a shaky, breathy voice, "He didn't make it."

The man stepped out of the shadows, "Why are you here? What do you want?"

"A chance," Replied Rick.

The man hesitated, "That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I—I know," Sighed Rick.

The man looked around at the group of survivors. Shaky, scared, mothers holding onto their cowering children, men protecting their loved ones.

"You all submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission." Said the man firmly.

"We can do that,"

The man lowered his weapon, "You all have stuff to bring in, do it now. Once that door closes it won't open again."

Rick, Glenn, Daryl, and Shane all ran outside and grabbed people's bags from the RV, then hurried back inside. Angelina was fairly certain she spotted a group of walkers lurking in the distance. But she didn't know if it was real. She hadn't eaten all day and might have been hallucinating or imagining it.

"Vie, seal the main entrance, kill the power up here." Said the man to a control panel on the side of the wall.

"Rick Grimes," Said Rick as he walked past the man, he stuck his hand out but the man didn't take it.

"Doctor Edwin Jenner." Replied Jenner awkwardly, avoiding direct eye contact with Rick.

They walked down a long hallway and then loaded into an elevator. After getting out of the elevator Jenner led them down another hallway.

"Are we underground?" Asked Carol as they made their way down the hall.

"Why are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked in response.

"A little,"

"Just try not to think about it."

They entered a larger room filled with computers and large screens,

"Vie, bring up the power in the main room." Said Jenner, and then walked down the ramp they were on, "Welcome to zone five."

"Where is everybody?" Asked Rick, "All the doctors."

"I'm it," Said Jenner, "It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with, Vie?" Asked Lori, still clinging to Carl's hand.

"Vie, say hello to our guests, tell them…welcome." Jenner said.

A computerized female voice spoke, "Hello guests, welcome."

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry."

After getting everybody's blood sample Jenner explained to them that he just wanted to be careful. This explanation was given to them after Andrea asked him what the point was, if they were infected they would all be running a fever. Andrea stood up from her seat and had to stop walking.

"You okay?" Jenner asked.

"She hasn't eaten in days, none of us have." Explained Jacqui as she supported Andrea.

Everybody sat, in a good mood, around a table filled with food and wine. Jenner had treated them to a meal and alcohol, with soda for the children. Nobody had been so happy in days. Angelina drank her glass of wine and laughed with the rest of the group. She and Shane were sitting across from Rick, Lori, and Carl. Dale was poring more wine to people who wanted it and he suggested,

"How about some wine for the young lad here? He's old enough to drink in Italy."

Lori covered an empty cup with her hand, "And when Carl is in Italy he can have some."

"Oh come on, who's it goanna hurt?" Rick chuckled. Lori sighed in defeat and Dale pored Carl some wine. Carl picked up the glass, sniffed it, and then took a sip. He made a sour look on his face.

"Ew! Tastes nasty."

"That's my boy," Lori rubbed Carl's back while the table of people laughed.

"Just stick to soda pop there, bud," Shane chuckled.

"Not you Glenn," Daryl said, "I wanna see how red your face can get." Daryl took a swig of wine. Everybody laughed more and ate and drank more. Rick tapped his wine glass with his fork and stood up,

"Seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly," Began Rick.

"Oh, he is more than just our host," T-Dog said, exaggerating each word and raising his glass.

"Here, here!" Dale said and everyone chimed in. Wine glasses raised in thanks in Jenner's direction everybody had a look of happiness on their face. Angelina knew it had to be too good to be true.

After everyone finished eating Jenner took them down another hallway. But this one was more comforting. The walls were painted a cream color and pictures of boats hung on the wall like in a place somebody was trying to make feel like home. Bedrooms lined the walls and Angelina spotted beds and sofas in each of them.

"The beds aren't slept in and the sofas are very comfortable. There's a wreck room down hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't use anything that draws electricity." Explained Jenner, "Same applies, if you shower, go easy on the hot water."

"Hot water?" Glenn repeated in awe.

"That's what the man said." T-Dog smiled.

Angelina took a bedroom in the middle and immediately lay on the bed, Shane had gone to get more of the bags they left down in the dining hall and said he would be back shortly.

Angelina spotted the cracked door of the bathroom and stood up to go investigate it. She pushed the door open the rest of the way and then stepped inside. The room had a nice sink and a mirror, a toilet with real toilet paper! And, the best part, a large shower and a bathtub that was separate. She was in heaven.

Shane entered the bedroom and kicked his shoes off, then threw the bags into the corner of the room, and sprawled out on the bed. Angelina leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom and crossed her arms,

"What's that?" She asked him, looking at something he had hidden behind his back.

He smirked and reached behind his back, he pulled out a bottle of wine and said,

"I thought we deserved a little more."

He opened the bottle and Angelina happily made her way over to the bed, hopping down beside him. He took a swig of wine and then handed it to her. Angelina was a cheap drunk, little did Shane know, and after about eight big gulps, she was about as good as drunk.

There are different kinds of drunks. There are goofy drunks, horny drunks, mean drunks, depressed drunks, and the kind of drunk that just passes out. Angelina was a mixture of all of them and poor Shane had no idea the mess he had just gotten himself into.

"You know what," Angelina took another gulp and passed it back to Shane, "I think we should just give up, I mean, what's the point. Really?" She smiled for reasons unknown, "Life would be so much easier if we all just," She fell back onto the bed, "Died."

Shane stared at her with his brows furrowed, "What the hell are you talking about?"

She flew back up, "Just think, if we all died, we would be unaware of the shit going on."

"You don't really want to be dead," Shane stated.

"Everybody, at some point in their life has wished they would just die."

"I haven't." Shane said, "Even now."

"That's an ass load of crap, is what that is." Angelina hiccupped, "Everybody here is going to die eventually, we probably will end up as walker food. Do you really want to die like that?"

"I don't plan on dying." Shane took another gulp of wine, "Where is all this coming from anyway?"

She giggled, "From the heart." She circled a spot on Shane's shoulder, "Don't you wish you could just take all the pain away, all the worry and fear?"

Shane set the wine bottle down, "Don't talk like that, Angel."

Angelina reached for the wine but Shane held it away from her, "No, I think you've had enough."

A wide, devilish grin spread across her face as she leaned in towards Shane's ear and whispered,

"If I get just a tad bit more drunk you can take advantage of me."

Shane gripped her shoulders and pushed her back so he could see her face, "Stop it!"

Angelina grabbed the wine and ran away from Shane to the other side of the room. She leaned against the wall and giggled, she chugged the wine and fought off Shane as he tried to take it from her.

"Give me the bottle," Shane said harshly.

She giggled and pushed at his chest, "Nope!"

"God dammit Angel, I'm trying to help you!"

She stopped struggling and said, "Oh, Shane." She smiled at his chest and ran a finger down it towards the rim of his pants, "If you really wanted to help me, you would fuck me." She laughed and drank some more,

"That's enough, I'm sorry." Shane ripped the bottle out of her hands and threw it at the ground, it shattered and the remaining wine spilled all over the floor.

"Okay that was unnecessary." Angelina hiccupped, "That was such a waist."

When Shane did not respond and just stood their huffing angrily, Angelina became hostile.

"Fuck you Shane," She spat, "I hate you!"

"You hate me, I'm the one who has to put up with all your crazy shit!" He spat back, "You and your wondering off, acting like you can't do anything but then I find out you can use a fucking gun and throw a knife! Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I fucking hate guns!" She yelled back.

"Well you need to get over that! The world is fucking over and you have to protect yourself. You have no idea how much I hate you! You cause so much issues and you never fucking listen to me!"

She scoffed, "Why would I listen to you?" She yelled, "If I listened to you I'd be dead by now!"

"If you would've listened to me, that walker wouldn't have almost killed you and Miranda might still be alive!"

Angelina's hand connected with Shane's face and left a red handprint,

"I fucking hate you! I hope you die!" She punched at his chest and fought him away from her, then headed to the door. Shane grabbed her arm and spun her around,

"Angel, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!" He said quickly.

"Get off me Shane!" She shouted at him, "Don't touch me." Shane pushed her against the wall and pinned her there.

She grunted and tried to move but it didn't work. When Angelina is drunk it's like she had multiple personalities. One minute she was furious at Shane and the next she found herself wanting him. When he pushed her against that wall and was forceful with her—she found it excited her. But that realization frightened her.

She breathed heavily and stared into his dark eyes, they were completely black and she knew he was furious. But his eyes kept shifting from her eyes to her lips, eyes, lips, eyes, lips. Like he couldn't decide what he wanted.

He dropped her arms and she took the initiative, she smacked him again. His head focused back on her and he attacked her with a fierce kiss—slamming her body into the wall. He ran his tongue along her lower lip and her hands searched all over his back and neck for somewhere to hold. She lifted her shirt over her head and discarded it somewhere in the room. Shane's lips moved to her neck and he sucked on it, lightly bighting and then bighting harder. She liked it a lot.

She removed his shirt next and raked her fingers down his bare back. He fumbled with her pants and, with some help, managed to get her out of them. Now she was only left in her underwear. His pants were taken off next.

Shane lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his hips. His large erection rubbing against her center. She moaned and he squeezed her ass hard. He placed a hand on her back to hold her in place and carried her over to the bed; he practically threw her on the bed and then jumped on top of her. As he move overtop of her she arched her back into him, craving his closeness.

He dragged his lips down her neck and sucked roughly on her breasts, biting and sucking and grabbing them. It felt so good. Deciding that she did not want him to be the leader, she pushed him off of her and flipped him over. Her hands worked their way into his boxers and tightened around his hard length. He moaned as she began stroking it, and rubbing it, and whispering dirty things into his ear.

Getting tired of only half the package she ripped off his boxers and kissed around his manhood. She kissed the tip of it and then took him into her mouth. Licking and sucking on him, and she was surprised to find that he tasted good. After she was finished sucking she licked him clean and straddled his lap.

She made sure her soaked panties were right on top of him. She wanted him to crave her. She leaned over him and licked the side of his face,

"Mmm, you taste great." She sucked on his ear and moved back and forth overtop of him, her wet panties rubbing against him. His facial expression said he couldn't hold it in much longer.

"Enough of this," He sat up and nearly knocked her off of him. His hands first went to her back and undid her bra and threw it aside. Then his hand went into her panties, rubbing her wet center, she moaned and threw her head back. It felt amazing.

His warm fingers were everywhere, they were stroking her, pinching her, grabbing her, and then they were inside of her. He was moving his fingers around inside of her and her hips were wiggling around.

"Harder, do it harder." She moaned into the crook of his neck.

Shane grabbed her and shoved his fingers in harder. She bucked her hips and told him to fuck her. He did not wait and pulled his hand out of her panties and then ripped them off. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as the panties were removed from her body. She could feel him now.

He pushed her back onto the bed and pushed her legs apart, then shoved into her. She nearly screamed; he was so big and so hard, and she was so tight and wet. Oh the combination was pure ecstasy. He shoved into her again, harder that time, then over and over. He kissed her and their tongues danced together. Her arms were around his neck, trying to keep him closer.

"Harder," She grunted, "Fuck me harder." And Shane did. Over and over and over again.

Angelina awoke late during the night and could not fall back asleep. She rolled on her side and looked at a sleeping Shane, he looked so peaceful when he slept. The events that occurred a few hours before were no more and the high had left her. She stroked Shane's hair out of his face and touched his cheek lightly.

She was already sore. Her back hurt from being slammed into a wall, her head hurt from when Shane tugged at her hair, and most of all, her womanhood hurt. But she did not regret any of it. Shane and herself needed that very badly. They needed it to bring them closer together and they were always closer after they fought.

She was worried about how many people heard them fighting before everything turned sexual. They probably thought the fight was pretty bad, which it was, but it ended up well.

She quietly stood up and slid her underwear and bra on. Then put one of Shane's shirts on that came just above her knees. It hurt to walk but she ignored the pain.

She crept over to the door and quietly opened it and stepped into the hallway. She shut the door behind her and headed down towards the kitchen to get a glass of water.

Once in the kitchen she turned on the dim light and then opened the fridge, bending over to get a water bottle.

"Can't sleep, either?" A voice asked from behind her. She jumped up, spun around, and dropped the water bottle. Seeing it was Rick, she relaxed and picked up the water bottle.

"You scared the shit outta me!" She whispered furiously.

"We need to talk," Rick said, standing up from his seat and walking over to her.

"I know," She placed a hand on her forehead and sighed.

Rick opened his mouth to say something, closed it, shook his head and spoke; "You're with Shane now? Since when?"

Angelina looked at him for a moment, "A while."

Rick dropped his head, "Do you love him?"

"Rick—"

"Just answer the question."

Angelina closed her eyes, "Yes, I do."

Rick balled his fist up, "What about us, Angel?"

"Please don't call me that, Rick."

"What about us Angelina?" Rick repeated, looking hurt.

"We had an affair Rick!" She said in a hushed voice, "You are back from the dead and I think you should be focusing less on your ex mistress and more on your wife. Who I may add, has cried almost every night that you were gone!"

"Don't give me that bull shit, Angelina. Lori hates me! She wanted a divorce," He whispered angrily.

"What?"

"Before I got shot she brought me the papers, said that she knew I was up to something." Rick rubbed his chin, "She was probably happy to have me gone."

"Don't say that,"

"It's true," Rick grabbed Angelina's shoulders, "Angelina I still care about you."

"Rick, don't—"

"No, I still care about you. You deserve better than Shane!"

"And you're better?" Angelina scoffed, "I can't believe you."

"I heard you two fighting in your room." Rick's eyes were wild with rage, "You don't deserve to be treated like that. Does he hit you?"

"What!" Angelina whispered, "Of course not! Rick, Shane and I fight, that's just how we are!"

"Whatever," Rick huffed, "Be with Shane if he makes you happy. But I swear, if he lays one hand on you I will kill him." Rick growled.

"Rick don't say that, he's your best friend. Plus he would never do anything to hurt me."

Rick looked up at her, "I guess you're happy, aren't you?" He was angry, but was doing a great job at keeping it under control.

"Yes, I am actually."

"Well good for you, I hope he is everything you've ever wanted. I mean it. I just want you to be happy."

"Rick-"

"I mean it, Angelina. When you care about somebody the way I care about you, you have to learn to let them go. Even if it kills you. Your happiness is more important than mine."

Angelina's eyes got teary and she wiped the unshed tears away, "I'm going to go back to sleep." Angelina turned away from Rick but stopped walking towards the door and turned back towards Rick. She speed walked back to him and latched her arms around his neck. She couldn't help herself from hugging him. From touching him and making sure he was real.

She let go and walked out of the kitchen without saying another word to him. Once she was back at her room she silently opened the door and crawled into bed.

Shane stirred and noticed Angelina's face was wet.

"What's the matter?" He asked groggily as she curled up in his arms.

"Nothing, I'm just happy that's all."

"Where did you go?"

"I was getting a drink of water, go back to sleep."

Shane pulled her closer to him and held her, "Angel, I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't mean it. I was so drunk and-"

Angelina cut him off with a kiss, "It's fine, and I know you didn't mean it. Just please don't say it again." She kissed him again, "Go back to sleep." Shane obliged and fell back asleep with Angelina in his arms.

In the morning Angelina saw no sun, heard no birds, and felt no breeze. She, instead, awoke to a four-walled room, with air conditioning coming down on her, and Shane's arm around her waist. The only thing she missed was the sun.

She peaked over her shoulder and spotted Shane staring at her. She turned completely over and kissed him.

"Last night was pretty eventful," Shane smirked and rubbed right above her hips.

Angelina kissed him lightly again and said, "It sure was. We should do it again sometime."

Shane laced his fingers through her hair, "Sounds like a plan."

They lay in each other's arms for what seemed like hours but was probably just a few minutes. When Angelina was wrapped in his arms she felt like she was in the safest place in the world. She felt like that because she knew Shane would never let anything hurt her. Even if it meant sacrificing himself.

"We should get up," Angelina said as she crawled out of bed and headed into the bathroom, preparing the shower. She decided to take a cold shower and got undressed, Shane saw glimpses of her form from the mirror and jumped out of bed and headed into the bathroom.

After their shower they dressed and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. Angelina came in first and went straight for the freshly brewed coffee.

"Never let me drink again," Moaned Glenn, Jacqui rubbed his back and T-Dog put some powdered eggs on his plate.

"Eat, the protein helps the hangover."

Glenn pushed the eggs around on his plate but didn't eat any. Shane entered the kitchen and got a glass of orange juice, then sat down next to Angelina.

"You feel worse than I do?" Asked Rick, chuckling at his friend.

"Naw, man I feel great." Shane smiled and took a sip of orange juice, "For the first time in my life, I didn't drink a whole bottle of wine by myself." Rick chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. Dr. Jenner walked in and everybody greeted him with a friendly good morning.

"Good morning everybody," He said as he pored a cup of coffee.

"Doc, I don't mean to slam you with question first thing in the morning, but—" Began Dale.

"You will anyway?" Jenner interrupted.

"We didn't come here for the eggs," Said Andrea flatly.

Doctor Jenner led them towards the main room with all the computers and powered everything up.

"Give me a playback of TS-19," Jenner said to Vie.

"Playback of TS-19," Vie repeated.

On a large screen a picture of a brain came up and everybody watched closely.

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked.

Jenner turned to Carl, "An extraordinary one, not that it matters in the end."

"Internal view." Said Vie and the person's brain turned to the side and then it zoomed in so you could see inside the brain. Inside the brain lights were flashing from place to place,

"What are those lights?" Shane asked.

"It's a person's life, experience's, memories, it's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring and flashing lights, is you." Jenner explained, "It's all the things that make you unique and human. Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain. They determine everything a person does from the moment of birth to the moment of death."

"That's what this is? A vigil?" Asked Rick.

"Yes, or more like the playback of a vigil."

"This person is dead?" Asked Andrea, stepping foreword.

"Yes." Jenner said sadly, "Test subject 19, someone who was bitten and infected and volunteered to have us record the process." Jenner paused, "Vie scan forward to the first event."

"Scanning to first event."

The brain that was flashing with lights was now being invaded by blackness and the body it belonged to began twitching and gulping for air. Soon the dark had consumed almost all of the brain.

"What is that?" Glenn asked in horror.

"It invades the brain like Meningitis," Jenner told them, motioning towards the screen with his hand, "The adrenal glands hem rage and the brain goes into shut down. Then the major organs."

The brain went completely black and the body it was in stopped moving.

"Then death," Jenner looked at the ground, "Anything you ever were, or will be, gone."

Andrea's eyes became glassy and she closed them and looked down.

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asked her mother.

"Yes," Carol nodded and took her daughters hand.

Andrea sniffled and Jenner looked at her.

"She lost somebody, two days ago," Lori explained, "He sister."

"I lost somebody as well, I know how devastating it can be." Jenner said, in an attempt to comfort Andrea.

"Scan to second event," Jenner said to Vie.

"Scanning to second event."

"The resurrection time is always different, we have reports of it happening in minutes, the longest in eight hours, this patient was two hours." Jenner said as the playback loaded.

The pitch-black brain suddenly began to spark red in the center.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked in shock.

"That looks like just the Brain Stem," Angelina noticed, "It just starts the stem doesn't it? Gives it enough sense to know how to walk and eat?"

"That's right," Said Jenner.

"But they're not alive." Said walking closer to the screen.

"You tell me," Jenner replied.

"But it's not like before, that brain is mostly dark."

"Dark, lifeless, dead," Jenner started, "The frontal lobe, the Neocortex, the human. That doesn't come back. The you stays dead. Just the shell that gives you mindless instinct."

The body began to move again and it mouth chomped at air. Suddenly an object was put to its head and something shot straight through its brain.

"God, what was that?" Carol asked, horrified.

"He shot his patient, didn't you?" Andrea asked.

"Vie, power down the main screen and the work stations." Jenner ordered. Vie repeated his order and the screen and computers shut off.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea asked, walking over to Jenner.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal."

"Or the wrath of God?" Jacqui suggested.

"I've considered that."

"Somebody must know something," Andrea continued, "Somebody, somewhere."

"There are others, aren't there?"

"There may be some, people like me."

"But you don't know, how do you not know?" Rick questioned.

"Everything went down," Jenner explained, "Lost all connection to the outside world."

"So it's not just here?" Angelina questioned, "There's nothing left anywhere?" Seeing the look on Jenner's face she dropped her head in her hands and held her face. When he didn't respond everyone took a moment to let the words sink in.

"Man, I'm goanna get shit faced drunk, again." Daryl sighed.

"Doctor I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but that clock," Dale pointed at the large clock on the wall counting down, "It's counting down, what happens at zero?"

"The," Jenner paused and swallowed, "The basement generators, they run out of fuel."

"And then?" Shane questioned, standing up from his seat. Jenner ignored his question and walked out of the room.

"Vie, what happens when the power runs out?" Rick asked Vie.

"When the power runs out a facility wide decontamination with occur."

**A/N: Read and Review! ** **Pretty please? I love them so much :)**


	7. I Love You

Chapter Seven:

Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Glenn all headed down to the basement to investigate. Angelina was left with the rest of the group and Dr. Jenner.

She sat down in a chair at one of the computer stations and tried to relax. Andrea approached her and pulled a chair up next to her.

"Heard you and Shane arguing last night," She began, "You okay?"

Angelina nodded, "Yeah, it was nothing. We always fight."

"We heard thuds, he didn't hit you did he?"

"God no! Why does everyone think that?" Angelina said, alarmed.

"Well when you hear arguing and then a thud it's what you expect," Andrea shrugged, "If he didn't hit you, then what were all those thuds?"

Angelina blushed bright red, "Nothing…"

Andrea's mouth dropped open, "You dirty girl!" She smacked her arm playfully, "You're so lucky though—Shane is a fine piece of meat."

Angelina laughed, "He sure is. I'm going to go back to my room, relax for a little while."

"I'll see you later."

Standing on the bed and reaching up towards the air vent Angelina was expecting to feel a cool breeze. But she did not feel anything. The air conditioning had stopped. She walked into the bathroom and flipped the light switch on, no light. The power was out.

She opened the door to the hallway and it was dark and running on the fluorescent, emergency lighting. She saw Lori poke her head out of her door as well,

"Your air conditioning out?" Lori asked her.

"Yeah, I wonder what's going on."

"Guess we'll find out soon enough."

She pointed at Dr. Jenner who was walking down the hall. All the bedroom doors opened and Daryl swung his head out, a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Jenner took it and took a gulp.

"Why is the air out in our room?" Angelina asked.

"And the lights?"

"The power is being prioritized," Jenner said.

"Air isn't a priority?" Dale asked him.

"And lights?" Daryl added.

"It's not up to me," Jenner began, walking down the hall, the group now following him, "Zone five is shutting itself down."

"Hey!" Daryl grunted angrily, "What the hell does that mean?"

Jenner did not answer him.

"Hey man, I'm talking to you: What do you mean it's shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?"

Shane, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog all ran out of the door leading down to the basement on the floor below them, they were all looking serious.

"Rick?" Lori called down to him; he put his hand up, telling her to give him a minute.

Jenner walked down the stairs, followed by the group and they met up with Rick and the second group.

"Jenner, what is going on?" Rick asked.

"It's shutting itself down. It's designed to keep the computers running until the last possible second. We're about to approach the half hour mark," He pointed to the clock on the wall, "We're right on schedule."

He stopped walking and handed Daryl back the bottle of whiskey, Daryl snatched it out of his hand.

He turned around and looked at Andrea, "It was the French."

"What?" She asked, confused.

"They were the last people. While our people were bolting up the doors and committing suicide in the halls, they stayed in the lab until the end."

"So what happened?" Jacqui asked.

"Same thing that's happening here. The power gird ran out of juice." He stepped up onto a platform holding the main computer. "The world runs on fossil fuel, I mean, how stupid is that?"

Shane cussed under his breath and began to go at Dr. Jenner but Rick caught his shirt and pulled him back.

"Everyone, get your stuff. We're getting out of here, now!" He shouted at the group.

As they turned to head out an alarm started blaring and they all froze,

"Doc, what's going on?" Rick yelled.

"You all heard Rick, go get your stuff!" Shane ordered the group.

Angelina was closest to the door and was the first one out. Surprised she did not hear other footsteps behind her she stopped, turned, and witnessed the door shutting. She ran back but it was to late. She slammed her fists against the door in a panic.

"No!" Shane roared, running to the door.

"Did you just lock us in?" Glenn gulped.

Shane banged on the door, trying hopelessly to get through to Angelina.

"Shane!" Angelina cried, "Open the god damn door!"

Shane spun around, "Open the door, now!"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"You son of a bitch, you locked us in!" Daryl roared, running at Jenner with a whiskey bottle in his hand. Shane ran at Daryl and tackled him to the ground.

"Jenner, open that door." Rick ordered,

"I'm sorry, that's not something I control. I told you once the doors were closed there was no going back." Looking around at all of the terrified people he said, "It's better this way."

"What is?" Rick screamed, "What happens in twenty four minutes?"

"Do you know what this place is?" Screamed Jenner, "We protected the public from very nasty stuff!" He yelled right in Shane's face, Shane's jaw tightened, "Weaponized smallpox, things that could wipe out half the country, stuff you don't want, ever, getting out!"

Jenner sat down and straightened out his jacket, smoothed his hair, and took a deep breath.

"In the event of a terrorist attack, for example, HIT's are deployed to protect anything from getting out."

"What are HIT's?" Shane asked him, Shane was having trouble keeping his cool. Especially with Angelina pounding on the door, trying to get back in to him.

"Vie, define HIT's."

"High Impulse Thermafuel explosives that have two stage, aerosol ignition. They produce a greater explosion than any other explosive known to man. It ignites the oxygen to between 5000 and 6000 degrees."

"It sets the air on fire," Jenner mumbled, "no pain, an end to sorrow, fear, regret."

Daryl charged at the door and threw the bottle at it.

"Open the damn door!" He shouted and kicked the door, everyone could see Angelina's figure on the other side, pounding on the door, trying to get back in. She had no idea what was going to happen.

"Out of my way!" Shane yelled, charging at the door with an axe. He hit it over and over again but it was no use. Daryl came at it with his axe, but two axes' didn't do the trick. It was useless.

"Can't make a single god damn dent!" Shane yelled, panting. "Open the god damn door! There is a person on the other side!"

"She'll be fine out there."

Shane lifted the axe and came at Jenner, Rick, T-Dog, and Dale had to force him back. Giving up with trying to kill Jenner he went over to the door and sat down next to it. He knocked on it and asked if she could hear him. She said yes.

"So you know what's going to happen?" he asked her.

She choked out a yes, "I just wish it didn't have to be like this."

"I know, Angel, I know." Shane had to stay strong for her, "We'll get out of this."

"This isn't right, you can't just keep us here." Carol sobbed on the other side of the room. They were still trying to get Jenner to open the doors, but he would not budge.

"Shane," Angelina wiped her noes, "If we don't make it out of here I just wanted to let you know that I love you."

Shane smiled sadly, "I love you too, Angel."

"And that I'm really glad we met because I love you so much."

Shane smiled and stood up. He grabbed his gun and walked back over to Jenner, he cocked it where no one could see and then aimed it at Jenner's head.

"Shane?" Angelina called through the door, unaware that he had left.

"Shane!" Rick shouted.

Shane shoved him off, "Get outta my way! You open that door, now or I will blow your head off!" Shane growled at Jenner.

"Shane this is not how we do things, if he dies we all die. If he dies, Angelina dies." Rick whispered furiously, "And I know you don't want that."

Shane yelled in anger and fired five shots into a computer next to Jenner.

"Shane!" Angelina yelled through the door, pounding on it with her fists, "Shane what's going on!"

Rick grabbed the gun and they struggled, it ended with Shane on the ground and Rick standing over him. The end of the gun in his face,

"You done now? You done?"

"Yeah, I guess we all are." Shane spat back.

Angelina continued to pound on the door, "What's going on!" She shouted angrily, "Somebody fucking answer me, god dammit!"

Rick looked at the door where he could see Angelina pounding on it, and then he looked around at the group

"I think you're lying, about there being no hope."

"What?"

"If it were true, you would've taken the easy way out like the rest of them. You didn't, you chose the hard path, why?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter, it always does. You stayed when others ran, why?" Rick repeated.

"Not because I wanted to, because I made a promise." Jenner stood up from his seat and was now taller than Rick.

"To her," He pointed at the big screen, "My wife."

"Test subject 19 was your wife." Lori breathed.

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could, how could I say no."

In the background Daryl and Shane were going at the door again with the axes'. Angelina on the other side, waiting for death's arms to welcome her.

"She was dying—it should've been me on that table." Jenner continued, "It would not have mattered to anyone. She, she was the greatest loss we could have. She owned this place, hell I just worked here! She was an Einstein in this field, me, I was just Edwin Jenner. She could've done something about this, not me."

"Your wife didn't have a choice, you do." Rick said softly, "That's all we want is a choice, a chance."

"Let us keep trying as long as we can," Lori pleaded with tearful eyes.

"I told you, topsides locked down, I can't open those." Jenner said, moving over to another computer, away from the one Shane shot up. He typed a code in on the computer and the door opened.

Shane grabbed Angelina and kissed her forehead quickly. They did not have a lot of time for hello's.

"C'mon, lets go! Hurry!" Everybody was shouting and screaming at each other. Angelina, Shane, and Daryl were at the front of the pack as they ran down the hall towards the front doors.

"Let's go Jacqui," T-Dog said as he ushered her out of the room.

"No, I'm staying."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," She said as she backed up into the room.

"I'm staying too," Andrea said.

"Andrea, don't do this. Amy wouldn't have wanted this." Dale said.

"Amy's gone Dale!" Andrea said tearfully.

"Hurry up you guys!" Glenn yelled, "Move your ass's!"

"Go on without us!" Dale shouted at Glenn and T-Dog.

Everyone ran down the hall, up a few flights of stairs and then into the main lobby. The sun streamed in and it was beautiful outside. Daryl and Shane tried to break the windows with the axes' and then they tried to shoot it but it was not working.

"Rick," Carol said, "I think I have something that might help." She was digging around in her purse.

"I don't think a nail file is really going to help," Shane said flatly.

Carol ignored him as she pulled out a grenade, "I found this while washing your clothes on the first day."

Rick's eyes widened as he took it in his hand. "Look out!" Rick yelled, "Everyone get down!"

Everyone got down and Shane laid of Angelina's body to protect her, Rick set the grenade down, pulled the notch, and ran for cover. Boom. The grenade exploded and created a huge hole in the window. Shane helped Angelina up and everyone ran out to the cars.

The front lawn was flooded with walkers, Shane handed Angelina a gun and told her to shoot. She fired at walker after walker, either hitting them in the head or in the neck. Daryl decapitated one of them and Shane and Rick shot a bunch in the head.

People filed into the RV, the truck, the van, and Shane and Angelina got into their jeep. Angelina spotted Dale and Andrea running out of the building,

"Look!" She pointed at them, "Run! Hurry!"

"Get down!" Shouted Rick out of the RV window, "Everyone get down!"

Shane and Angelina crawled under the dashboard and Shane draped his body over hers. He held her tight and they both waited.

This blast was much bigger than the blast of the grenade. First there was a horrible high-pitched noise, then a giant boom, and the sound of a collapsing building, and then a final boom and a crash. The air smelt of fire and smoke, the air was thick with ash and the dust of a building that was no more.

Shane looked over his shoulder and saw that the building was fully collapsed. Angelina sat up next and took Shane's hand in her own. Dale and Andrea ran to the RV and jumped inside. Shane kissed Angelina and whispered I love you; then they all drove away.

Unsure of where they were going and what they might find. They were just driving as far away from the city as possible. None of them planned on ever coming back.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. Please review! I'm trying to reach at least 30 reviews. For now that is. Sorry it took so long to upload. **


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